Perkins' GM Role Questioned
Kendrick Perkins Reportedly Agrees to Jackson State GM Role, But Officials Deny Confirmation
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Key Points
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ESPN reports said the agreement surfaced on Friday, June 19, 2026, describing Perkins as a 41-year-old current ESPN analyst (and that ESPN’s Shams Charania was the reporter for the hire news).
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Jackson State’s internal shake-up leading to the GM conversation included Mo Williams leaving to become an assistant at Kentucky, with Trey Johnson promoted from associate head coach.
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One report tied the timing to Jackson State’s longer-term postseason drought, noting the Tigers “have not reached the NCAA Tournament since 2007”—the same year Trey Johnson played for the program.
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Notwithstanding the reports of a Perkins appointment, another outlet said Jackson State officials and official athletics channels “confirmed no such hiring has taken place,” adding that there was “no record of a general manager vacancy,” no press release issued, and that Mo Williams remained the head coach.
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A separate explainer in the same outlet contrasted “General Manager” roles in college basketball with the NBA, saying they typically focus on managing the transfer portal, overseeing NIL collectives, and facilitating roster construction (to support head coaches dealing with recruitment complexity).
ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins has agreed to become the men's basketball general manager at Jackson State University, according to ESPN. The deal was first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania on June 19, 2026. Perkins, 41, will keep his ESPN role while taking on the new position at the historically Black university.
The move comes as Jackson State tries to rebuild after a 12-21 season. The program has not reached the NCAA Tournament since 2007. Perkins called it a chance to "impact young lives and pour back into my community," ESPN reported.
Mo Williams' Exit Forced Jackson State to Rebuild Fast
The hiring of Perkins traces back to a leadership shake-up in the spring. On March 30, 2026, head coach Mo Williams resigned to join the University of Kentucky as an assistant under Mark Pope. Kentucky signed Williams to a two-year deal worth $500,000 per season, according to Sporting News.
Assistant coach Trey Johnson was named interim head coach immediately after Williams left. Jackson State made it official on April 15, removing the interim tag. Johnson played for JSU in 2007 — the last time the Tigers reached the NCAA Tournament — and won SWAC Player of the Year that season, Yahoo Sports noted.
What a College GM Actually Does — and Why JSU Wants One
The "general manager" title is newer in college basketball than in the NBA. Sporting News explained that college GMs typically manage the transfer portal, oversee NIL deals, and help coaches build rosters. NIL stands for name, image, and likeness — it is money athletes can earn from endorsements and sponsorships.
Perkins' NBA network makes him a strong fit for that work. His connections can help JSU negotiate with agents and attract players. His ESPN platform also gives the program free national exposure every time he appears on air, Yahoo Sports reported.
Perkins Brings Media Ties to JSU's Journalism Students Too
The role goes beyond basketball operations. Sporting News reported that Perkins' position creates a direct link between him and Jackson State's broadcast and journalism program. The idea is that students can learn from his experience as a working TV analyst while he also helps the team.
Athletic director Ashley Robinson finalized the deal. She later described it as a volunteer role focused partly on fundraising, according to research from HBCU Legends. Perkins will work alongside Robinson and head coach Trey Johnson as JSU tries to end its 19-year NCAA Tournament drought.
Official Confirmation Was Slow to Arrive on June 19
Not everyone was ready to call the hire final right away. Complex and other outlets treated the news as done. But at least one local Mississippi report said JSU's official channels had "confirmed no such hiring has taken place" in the hours after Charania's post. There was no press release and no record of a GM vacancy in the university's HR system.
The confusion pointed to a gap between a verbal agreement and formal paperwork. Robinson later confirmed the hire to HBCU Legends, clearing up the uncertainty. The delay was likely tied to the volunteer nature of the role, which may not follow a standard university hiring process, Yahoo Sports noted.
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