Nick Perkins

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Nick Perkins

| image = Nick Perkins.jpg

| caption =

| birth_place = Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1996|10|15}}

| height_m = 2.03

| weight_kg = 115

| position = Power forward

| number = 33

| league = P. League+

| team = TSG GhostHawks

| high_school = Milan (Milan, Michigan)

| college = Buffalo (2015–2019)

| draft_year = 2019

| career_start = 2019

| years1 = 2019–2020

| team1 = Niigata Albirex BB

| years2 = 2020–2023

| team2 = New Basket Brindisi

| years3 = 2023–2024

| team3 = Nagasaki Velca

| years4 = 2024

| team4 = Indios de Mayagüez

| years5 = 2024–present

| team5 = TSG GhostHawks

| highlights =

2× First-team All-MAC (2018, 2019)
3× MAC Sixth Man of the Year (2017–2019)

}}

Nickolaus Perkins{{cite web |title=鉑金 - 台鋼獵鷹職業籃球隊 |url=https://pleagueofficial.com/player/06zKKrxs |website=P. LEAGUE+ |access-date=January 16, 2025}} (born October 15, 1996) is an American basketball player for TSG GhostHawks of the P. League+. He played college basketball for the Buffalo Bulls.

High school career

Perkins was born in Saginaw, Michigan and raised in Ypsilanti. He played four years of high school basketball for Milan High School. He led the Big Reds to a Class B State title in 2014, and nearly won a state title the following year. As a junior, Perkins averaged 15 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game. As a senior in September 2014, Perkins committed to play basketball at the University at Buffalo, choosing the Bulls over offers from Toledo, Kent State, Northern Illinois, Akron, Cleveland State and Detroit Mercy.{{cite news |last1=Niziolek |first1=Michael |title=Milan forward Nick Perkins verbally commits to University of Buffalo Wednesday |url=https://www.mlive.com/highschoolsports/article/milan-forward-nick-perkins-verbally-commits-to-university-of-buffalo-wednesday/ |accessdate=April 18, 2020 |work=MLive.com |date=September 25, 2014}}

College career

As a freshman at Buffalo, Perkins averaged 7.6 points per game and 4.3 rebounds per game. He averaged a little better his sophomore season as he put up 12.4 points per game and 6.7 rebounds, leading with teammate C. J. Massinburg to a MAC title in 2017, as he also won the MAC Sixth Man of the Year Award.{{cite news |title=Restocked Bulls Have Eyes on Another MAC Title |url=https://buffalonews.com/2017/11/08/ub-mens-basketball-preview-restocked-bulls-have-eyes-on-another-mac-title/ |accessdate=April 18, 2020 |work=The Buffalo News |date=November 8, 2017}} Perkins helped Buffalo start off his junior season with a 7-0 record for the first time since 1930, as he saw significant improvement in his junior season putting up 16.2 points and grabbed 6.0 rebounds per game, earning him All-MAC honors and MAC Sixth Man of the Year once again.{{cite web |title=Orange Face Bulls in December 18 Dome Date |url=https://cuse.com/news/2018/5/24/MBBBuffalo52418.aspx |website=Syracuse Orange |accessdate=April 18, 2020 |date=May 24, 2018}} In his final year of college ball he saw some decrease in points, as he only put up 14.6 per game, but a significant improvement in rebounding, putting up 7.4 per game, again for the second year in a row earning All-MAC honors and the MAC Sixth Man of the Year Award. In the NCAA Tournament, Perkins contributed 21 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Arizona State and had 17 points and 10 rebounds in a loss to Texas Tech.{{cite web |title=Nick Perkins To Continue Professional Basketball Career In Japan |url=https://ubbulls.com/news/2019/8/9/mens-basketball-nick-perkins-to-continue-professional-basketball-career-in-japan.aspx |website=Buffalo Bulls |accessdate=April 18, 2020 |date=August 9, 2019}} Perkins finished his college career averaging 12.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game and shooting 45 percent from the field.{{cite news|url = https://www.mlive.com/highschoolsports/2019/09/former-milan-and-buffalo-star-nick-perkins-prepares-for-professional-start-in-japan.html| title = Former Milan and Buffalo star Nick Perkins prepares for professional start in Japan| date= September 26, 2019| work= MLive.com|accessdate=April 18, 2020}} He played in the NABC Reese's All-Star Game and was named to All-Tournament team at the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament.

Professional career

After going undrafted in the 2019 NBA draft, Nick Perkins signed with the Los Angeles Lakers for NBA Summer League play.{{Cite web|url=https://buffalonews.com/2019/06/21/los-angeles-lakers-nick-perkins-ub-nba-undrafted-free-agent-summer-league-news-2019/|title=Perkins will sign with Lakers' Summer League team|date=June 21, 2019|website=The Buffalo News|language=en-us|access-date=January 26, 2020}} On July 3, 2019, Nick Perkins put up 20 points and 11 rebounds in an NBA Summer League win over the Sacramento Kings. Despite a good performance in the 2019 NBA Summer League, Nick Perkins was not offered a training camp contract going into the NBA Preseason.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}}

On August 10, 2019, Perkins signed with the Niigata Albirex BB of the Japanese B.League.{{Cite web|url=https://buffalonews.com/2019/08/10/nick-perkins-buffalo-basketball-japan-lakers/|title=Former UB basketball star Nick Perkins signs in Japan|date=August 10, 2019|website=The Buffalo News|language=en-us|access-date=January 26, 2020}} On November 10, he scored 34 points in a 97-92 overtime victory over the Sunrockers Shibuya.{{cite news|url = https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2019/11/10/basketball/b-league/albirex-control-overtime-period-secure-victory-sunrockers/| title = Albirex control overtime period to secure victory over Sunrockers|date= November 10, 2019| work = Japan Times|accessdate=April 18, 2020}} He averaged over 20 points and 9 rebounds per game in Japan. Perkins signed with New Basket Brindisi of the Lega Basket Serie A on August 9, 2020.{{cite web |title=Happy Casa Brindisi signs Nick Perkins |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/happy-casa-brindisi-signs-nick-perkins/ |website=Sportando |accessdate=August 9, 2020 |date=August 9, 2020}}

A year later, on August 9, 2020, Perkins signed in Italy with New Basket Brindisi in the Serie A for one year.{{cite web |title=Nick Perkins completa il roster della Happy Casa Brindisi |url=https://www.newbasketbrindisi.it/2020/08/09/nick-perkins-completa-il-roster-della-happy-casa-brindisi/ |publisher=newbasketbrindisi.it |date=9 August 2020 |language=Italian }} Perkins averaged 13.4 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. He inked a two-year extension with the team on July 18, 2021.{{cite web |title=Happy Casa Brindisi officially re-signs Nick Perkins |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/happy-casa-brindisi-officially-re-signs-nick-perkins/ |website=Sportando |access-date=July 18, 2021 |date=July 18, 2021}}

Perkins has participated in The Basketball Tournament (TBT), an annual $1 million winner-take-all tournament, for Blue Collar U, a team primarily rostered with Buffalo alumni. In TBT 2021, the team reached the semifinals before being eliminated by Team 23.{{cite web |title=Blue Collar U Finishes Impressive Run In TBT Debut |url=https://ubbulls.com/news/2021/8/2/mens-basketball-blue-collar-u-finishes-impressive-run-in-tbt-debut.aspx |website=ubbulls.com |access-date=9 August 2021}} In TBT 2022, Blue Collar U won the tournament and $1 million prize.{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/34338436/blue-collar-u-downs-americana-autism-takes-home-1-million-basketball-tournament-title |title=Blue Collar U downs Americana for Autism, takes home $1 million The Basketball Tournament title |first=Jeff |last=Borzello |website=ESPN.com |date=August 2, 2022 |accessdate=August 2, 2022}} Perkins was named to the All-Tournament Team in both 2021 and 2022.{{Cite tweet |user=thetournament |number=1422769429725597702 |title=These guys were amazing all summer Introducing your TBT 2021 All-Tournament Team!}}{{cite tweet |user=thetournament |number=1554655285330984963 |title=Introducing your TBT 2022 All-Tournament Team! |date=August 2, 2022 |accessdate=August 2, 2022}}

On July 21, 2023, Perkins signed with Nagasaki Velca of the Japanese B.League.{{Cite web|url=https://www.velca.jp/news/detail/id=46390|title=ニック・パーキンズ選手契約基本合意（新規）のお知らせ|language=Japanese|publisher=Nagasaki Velca|date=July 21, 2023|accessdate=August 1, 2023}}

On March 30, 2024, Perkins signed with Indios de Mayagüez of the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN).{{cite web |title=Mayaguez inks Nick Perkins, ex Nagasaki |url=https://www.asia-basket.com/Japan/news/862831/Mayaguez-inks-Nick-Perkins,-ex-Nagasaki |publisher=Eurobasket.com |access-date=17 August 2024 |date=30 March 2024}}

On July 30, 2024, Perkins signed with TSG GhostHawks of the P. League+.{{cite web |title=台鋼獵鷹新賽季首位洋將鉑金報到打造更全面的戰力 |url=https://sports.ettoday.net/news/2787301 |publisher=ETtoday |access-date=17 August 2024 |date=30 July 2024}}