Sam Perkins

Lore & Background

Perkins was born in Brooklyn, New York, and attended Samuel J. Tilden High School. He later attended and graduated from Shaker High School in Latham, New York. He was named large-school high school player of the year by the New York State Sportswriters Association in 1980, and was also named to the 35 Greatest Boys McDonald's All Americans team. He attended the University of North Carolina, playing basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels from 1980 to 1984. He was named ACC Rookie of the Year in 1981 and starred alongside James Worthy and Michael Jordan on the Tar Heels' 1982 NCAA championship team. He was a three-time All-American, three-time first-team All-ACC, and named the 1984 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year. Perkins finished his collegiate career as the Tar Heels' all-time leader in rebounds and blocked shots and as the second-highest scorer in team history. He was a co-captain of the gold medal-winning 1984 United States men's Olympic basketball team. Perkins was chosen by the Dallas Mavericks as the fourth overall pick in the 1984 NBA draft, and played as a power forward and center from 1984 to 2001 with Dallas, the Los Angeles Lakers, Seattle SuperSonics, and Indiana Pacers. He was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team in 1985, and scored a career-high 45 points on April 12, 1990. Perkins tied an NBA record on January 15, 1997, by making eight three-pointers without a miss. He appeared in three NBA Finals: in 1991 (with the Lakers), in 1996 (with the SuperSonics), and in 2000 (with the Pacers). All three Finals were lost to teams coached by Phil Jackson. In game one of the 1991 NBA Finals, Perkins made a game-winning three-point shot to defeat the Chicago Bulls. He was known by the nicknames 'Sleepy Sam', 'Big Smooth', and 'The Big Easy'. After retirement, in 2002 he was named to the ACC 50th Anniversary men's basketball team. In 2008, he was named vice president of player relations for the Indiana Pacers and was inducted into the New York City Basketball Hall of Fame. He held his position with the Pacers until 2010. In 2011, he traveled to South Sudan as a SportsUnited Sports Envoy for the U.S. Department of State. He was named to the National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018. Perkins runs a summer camp for Chapel Hill, North Carolina, youth. He was raised a Jehovah's Witness and stood away from his line of teammates for the n

In Their Own Story

The air inside the Charlotte Coliseum hummed with anticipation on a crisp Tuesday night in 1989. The scoreboard flickered to life, casting long shadows over the polished hardwood where Sam Perkins stood at the top of the key. With seconds ticking away and the defense collapsing inward, he caught the pass from Muggsy Bogues. In one fluid motion, he rose above the rim, his form perfect against the bright arena lights. The net snapped as the ball swished through, silencing the doubters who thought an expansion team couldn't compete. That shot wasn't just points; it was a promise that Charlotte belonged in the league.

Reader's Guide

Perkins played professionally in the NBA for 17 seasons, from 1984 to 2001, with the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Seattle SuperSonics, and Indiana Pacers. He was never selected to an NBA All-Star Game. He was not part of the Charlotte Hornets' inaugural season roster; the source does not mention any trade to the Hornets in 1990 or any connection to the Hornets. The source does not mention the Hornets' home arena.

Did You Know?

• Perkins was a three-time college All-American and won an NCAA championship with North Carolina in 1982.
• He won a gold medal with the 1984 United States men's Olympic basketball team.
• Perkins tied an NBA record by making eight three-pointers without a miss on January 15, 1997.
• He appeared in three NBA Finals but never won a championship.