Former NBA player Kendrick Perkins took to Twitter earlier Thursday to lament the NBA and its system of testing for performance enhancing drugs. The former center said the league needs to do something about the testing policy, which comes in the wake of Brooklyn Nets forward Wilson Chandler being suspended for 25 games for PED use:
I really hope the NBA does something about their drug testing policy for PED because I remember looking at that list was like damn. A MF damn near can’t take Advil without asking the team Doctor. MFs can’t even walk into Walgreens or CVS without testing positive for something!
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) August 29, 2019
Shortly after it was announced that Chandler was suspended, Perkins made his opinion known, hinting that some of the drugs on the banned substance list were too much. Perkins noted that after taking a look at the list, it would be hard for players to walk into any pharmacy and pick up something without first wondering if it was acceptable to take. While that might not be the most accurate take, the list of banned substances in the NBA is a lengthy one, and as is the case with Chandler, can hit at any time.
As for Chandler, he was suspended after testing positive for Ipamorelin, a growth hormone stimulant. After the announcement was made, Chandler released his own statement, essentially saying the drug was prescribed to him shortly after it had been banned from the league itself. According to Chandler, he wasn’t aware the substance was banned, and neither did his doctor.
Unfortunately for Chandler and many other players, the NBA looking into more leniency when it comes to PED policies is unlikely. Not only does the league ask its players to be extremely aware of what they’re putting into their bodies, but it also seems to have a zero tolerance policy when it comes to any missteps. Chandler has accepted his suspension, and even though people like Perkins are speaking up, the league will likely keep operating as it has.
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