A NEW PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL TEAM IS COMING TO BEAUMONT TEXAS, COURTESY OF THE 2008 BOSTON CELTIC NBA CHAMPION, KENDRICK PERKINS
The Beaumont Panthers have been announced as a new member of The Basketball League, a professional organization in its fourth year of existence. Former NBA Champion and Ozen High School graduate Kendrick Perkins will be the team’s “New Owner,” citing a desire to bring positive attention back to his hometown.
It will be the region’s first professional basketball team since the Southeast Texas Mavericks played in Winnie from 2008-11. That franchise, now known as the Shreveport Mavericks, is also a member of The Basketball League.
“This is giving my hometown something to be proud of,” Perkins said of the Panthers. “A chance to give those that didn’t have the opportunities we had a chance to be seen. An outlet. Something that kids can see and say ‘I can do that.’”
Planing to start play in the 2022 season, the Panthers will be the 30th team in The Basketball League. The 2021 season is currently coming to a head, with playoffs scheduled for early July.
Those 29 other teams are scattered across the country, including three other Texas-based squads — the Dallas Skyline, the Waco Royals and the Houston Push.
The Basketball League CEO Evelyn Magley said Beaumont’s location between Houston and Louisiana made it a prime target for an expansion team.
“We are thrilled to have Beaumont be a big piece of our expansion plans and believe that having one of their native sons (Kendrick Perkins) help guide the program will be a nice jump start for exposure and allow for credibility with the team’s community engagement.”
Perkins formed the team with the help of his cousin Jay McDonald and Beaumont city councilman AJ Turner, who jumped at the chance to help invest in Beaumont’s community when the idea was brought to him.
As for the Panthers, the team will hold open tryouts in various cities across the nation, including dates in Beaumont from July 30th-31st and November 20-21. The team has yet to announce a coach or where it will play home games.
Kendrick Perkins
 Perkins with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2011
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| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | November 10, 1984 Nederland, Texas |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 270 lb (122 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Clifton J. Ozen (Beaumont, Texas) |
| NBA draft | 2003 / Round: 1 / Pick: 27th overall |
| Selected by the Memphis Grizzlies | |
| Playing career | 2003–2018 |
| Position | Center |
| Number | 43, 5, 3, 21 |
| Career history | |
| 2003–2011 | Boston Celtics |
| 2011–2015 | Oklahoma City Thunder |
| 2015 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2015–2016 | New Orleans Pelicans |
| 2017–2018 | Canton Charge |
| 2018 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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| Career NBA statistics | |
| Points | 4,214 (5.4 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 4,532 (5.8 rpg) |
| Blocks | 903 (1.2 bpg) |
Stats  |
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| Stats at Basketball-Reference.com | |
Kendrick Le’Dale Perkins (born November 10, 1984) is a former American professional basketball center. He entered the NBA directly out of high school and played for the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Cleveland Cavaliers, and New Orleans Pelicans, winning the NBA Championship in 2008 with the Celtics. Perkins is now an NBA analyst for ESPN and other networks.
Perkins graduated from Clifton J. Ozen High School in Beaumont, Texas, in 2003. He led Ozen High to four consecutive district championships and one state championship during his high school career. Averaging 27.5 points, 16.4 rebounds and 7.8 blocked shots a game as a senior, he led Ozen to a 33–1 record, with the only loss being a 66–54 setback to Fort Worth Dunbar in the state 4A championship game. After his senior season in 2003, Perkins was selected to the McDonald’s All-American Game.
Considered a five-star recruit by Rivals.com, Perkins was listed as the No. 3 center and the No. 6 player in the nation in 2003. He had originally committed to Memphis, but opted instead to make the jump to the NBA straight out of high school.
The 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) center was drafted in the first round with the 27th pick of the 2003 NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies,[5] but then, he was immediately traded along with Marcus Banks to the Boston Celtics in exchange for Troy Bell and Dahntay Jones, who had been selected by the Celtics in the same draft.[6]
During the 2004–05 season, Perkins received more playing time than he did his rookie season, and became known as one of the tougher players on the Celtics. He had a limited role during the regular season and playoffs as the team’s “enforcer”.
After marked improvements during summer training and practice, Perkins earned more playing time from coach Doc Rivers during the 2005–06 season. He played some of the best games of his career in 2006, repeatedly reaching double figures in points and rebounds. After the trade of Mark Blount to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Perkins became the undisputed starting center for the Celtics, although he was already sharing starting time before Blount’s departure. He started at center for the 2008 NBA champion Boston Celtics.
Perkins was the first in his draft class to win an NBA CHAMPIONSHIP, this class included Lebron James, Chris Bosh, Dewayne Wade, and Carmelo Anthony.
ABOUT TBL
The Basketball League (TBL) is dedicated to delivering a World Class Professional Basketball experience to our community, our fans, and business partners:
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Provide communities with a professional basketball team that gives an affordable/quality family entertainment experience.
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Provide players with educational opportunities to learn from nationally acclaimed life skills classes for financial literacy, health and wellness, nutrition, preventative medicine and sports biomechanics.
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Offer support and encouragement to local communities through engagement in school and group appearances, youth camps, clinics and non-profit organizations.
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Afford basketball players the opportunity to make a living playing the game they love, in America.
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Procure local individuals or groups an opportunity to own a professional sports business. A relatively low cost barrier to entry, a proven game plan to success, with a return on their investment while positively impacting their region.
Our Values
LEADERSHIP
SELF WORTH
EDUCATION
RESPECT
Evelyn Magley – CEO
Evelyn is the former Director of Community Engagement at the Brampton A’s of the National Basketball League (NBL) of Canada. As a liaison she scaled the forward facing programming of the NBL, professional basketball teams, and nonprofit organizations within the community at large.
A Music Educator and Music Therapist, Magley has a passion for positively impacting the lives of young people. As a graduate from the University of Kansas she co-founded “Children with Purpose,” an inner-city ministry focused on mentoring children through the gospel, academic services, hot meals, and music.
A $3.7 million Fine Arts Building was constructed to house and educate students in a music program that grew to an 89% participation rate under her tutelage in Bradenton, Florida.
