JASON PERKINS couldn’t say just yet when he’ll return to action as he rehabilitates from a right knee injury, but heaped praises on his coach, Topex Robinson, and his Phoenix Super LPG who are on a five-game winning streak in the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup.
“It’s like the movie ‘Despicable Me’ where you see coach Topex [Robinson] acting like Felonius Gru, the protagonist of that film,” Perkins told BusinessMirror on Wednesday. “He led his minions to successful missions just like us—coach Topex’s own minions in each game.”
“Coach Topex is like Gru, the evil character, while his coaching staff is like the evil minions who know everything—and that’s Phoenix,” he said. “Seriously, coach Topex is doing a great job, they are doing a great job and everybody is doing good, so happy for these guys to be recognized.”
The Fuel Masters had a 0-3 start to the conference with Perkins already nursing the injury and erstwhile franchise player Matthew Wright plying his craft in Japanese B.League. But Phoenix surprised the league with upsets over NLEX, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, Meralco, Rain or Shine and TNT Tropang Giga.
A 6-foot-4 power forward, Perkins said he wasn’t surprise about the streak saying everyone on the team adds two or three hours extra in the gym before going to practice.
The former De La Salle big man though remains uncertain on his return from a tore right meniscus injury he suffered last Philippine Cup where he averaged 16.0 points and 7.9 rebounds.
“That’s the hardest part, the recovery period, but so far it’s going good,” he said.
Perkins also praised their import, 23-year-old Kaleb Avery Wesson—the youngest among the batch of reinforcements—for holding his ground against high-profile counterparts like former National Basketball Association players Earl Clark of NLEX and former Meralco import Johnny O’ Bryant.
“Imagine five year from now, Kaleb will be a great player. He doesn’t have that NBA experience yet although he was undrafted,” Perkins said.
After going undrafted in the 2020 NBA rookie draft, he was picked by the Golden State Warriors in December but was released before taking his talents to Belgium and Israel last year.