Ex-NBA champion pulls brutal prank after kids rack up $16k Fortnite bill

Joe Craven

Ex-NBA star Kendrick Perkins has shared the brutal prank he played on his kids, after they racked up a $16,000 bill buying skins on Epic Games’ Fortnite. 

Kendrick Perkins spent 15 years in the NBA, representing multiple franchises during his time as a Center in the world’s best basketball league. He is probably best known for his time on the Boston Celtics or the Oklahoma City Thunder, but won his only NBA title with the former back in 2008.

During his time in the league Perkins gained something of a reputation as a prankster, a characteristic he exhibited once again in early-April, when he shared details of a brutal prank played on his children.

Perkins takes a free throw while playing for OKC.

During an appearance on the hugely popular sports podcast ‘Pardon My Take‘, Perkins shared the hilarious details of a brutal prank he played on his kids after they racked up a $16,000 bill from buying skins.

When asked by the show’s hosts for details, Kendrick replied: “These kids are driving me crazy! They ran up my credit card bill so what I did now is I took my credit card number off their cell phones… They’re only allowed to get on video games on the weekend, and the maximum amount they’re allowed to spend is $10.”

Perkins explained that he actually got his money back, citing a rule that under-16s’ purchases can be refunded if it becomes clear that there was no adult authorization.

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The ex-NBA champion then went on to tell the hilarious story of how he originally discovered that his kids had hit $15,000 credit card limit. “I’m like how did I get $16,000?” he said. “So, I go back and look at the credit card statement and it’s just … Fortnite. It was video games: $269, $300 here, $300 there, I’m like, what?!”

Despite being a free game, Fortnite players can spend money on skins and battle passes, and it seems Kendrick’s children were buying skins for themselves and their friends. This led Kendrick and his wife to hatch a brilliant revenge plan.

Epic GamesFortnite’s store encourages players to buy cosmetics and skins for real money.

“What we did was we went to the pawn shop and we went and bought a PlayStation, an old one, for like 30 bucks. So, we went and bought one that looked exactly like theirs, and we threw it in the pool,” Perkins explained, sending the show’s hosts into fits of laughter.

“We hid the one that they had because they were punished. But when they got home from school, we made them go out there and look at it, and we left it in there for like a week,” he added. “And every time they would go, they would literally break down in tears. No exaggeration, I’m taking bawling out in tears. And I was loving every second, though.”

The story reached a somewhat brutal conclusion, with Perkins laughing his way through the latter parts. It’s fair to say the story was also relished by the show’s hosts, who were laughing along as the NBA star recollected.