Perkins Still Has Carolina Connection Sonics Forward Knows He’s Never Far From Dean Smith’s Attention
Sometimes it’s difficult to determine whether Sam Perkins is more interested in humoring himself, his audience or both. His dry, mocking humor can easily be misconstrued by those who don’t realize the Seattle SuperSonics forward is a good guy just into poking fun.
“What do you mean am I picking Carolina just because I went to school there?” Perkins said. “Would I do that publicly? Embarrass you and me?
A reporter stepped back, nearly choking on his microphone, then Perkins broke into that sleepy-eyed grin when he realized the poor guy had become intimidated.
“Of course, I think North Carolina’s going to win the Final Four,” he concluded. “They’ve got the best team AND the best coach.”
And yes, he is as biased as could be with the Tar Heels joining Arkansas, UCLA and Oklahoma State this weekend in the Kingdome. Proud of it, he might add if pressed on the issue. In fact, Sam Perkins, University of North Carolina, Class of ‘84, will quite frankly say North Carolina coach Dean Smith has everything to do with his own success on the floor in the NBA for the past 11 seasons, and his financial success away from the game as well.
“He sometimes knows things about me before I do,” Perkins said. “That’s just the way Coach Smith is. The Carolina Grapevine is an amazing thing. Somehow, he keeps up on everybody. He considers it his responsibility, and he told me that when I first went down there to visit. That’s why I went there.”
He recalls alumni Walter Davis, Mike O’Koren and Phil Ford all hanging around when he first considered college. The generations overlap, but not by a lot. In fact, that group wasn’t far after Sonics coach George Karl’s class. But these days, Perkins figures most of the information leaks Smith uncovers come through the contacts of James Worthy, Michael Jordan, Joe Wolf and Kenny Smith.
“You never really know, you just know he obviously cares about how you’re doing,” Perkins said. “He keeps up with our investments and considers that even more important because he’s the one who screened all the agents before we signed on. We don’t talk about basketball much, but I do talk to him once a month. He may not call me, but somehow through the grapevine, somebody lets you know it’s time to call Coach Smith.”
MEMO: Cut in Spokane edition