King of the King’s Cup: Peri, the All-Time MVP
Kendrick Perry celebrates on the balcony in Malaga, Photo: Unicaja CB/X
In a heartfelt farewell to the red jersey, he opened the EuroBasket doors for Montenegro and then reaffirmed his talent with Unicaja.
Kendrick Perry continues to make history for the Malaga club, and his performance against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final will be remembered for a long time.
Unicaja triumphed over the “royal club” (93:79), once more claiming the Cup trophy, with the former Montenegrin point guard scoring 27 points, 14 of which came in the crucial last quarter.
His shooting was exceptional, hitting 5 of 3 from two points, 6 of 4 from three, and a perfect 9 of 9 from the free throw line, along with six assists.
He celebrated one of his three-pointers at the end of the match in a LeBron James style, mimicking placing a crown on his head, as his teammates from the bench followed suit… The Copa del Rey has clearly crowned a new king, and the title for the best player of the final was rightfully his.
“MVP for history,” proclaimed Madrid’s “Marca,” adding that his statistical achievements are unmatched in Copa del Rey final history.
The renowned Spanish publication noted that Perry’s performance overshadowed legendary Copa del Rey displays from Jorge Garbajoza in 2005 and Tyson Carter in 2023 while playing for Unicaja.
“Perry was everything – his 17 points in the last quarter are now a part of history,” added Marca.
There are also trophies that reflect Perry’s contributions to Andalusia. With the green jersey, Unicaja had four trophies; now, it boasts nine—two new Copa del Rey titles, the Spanish Super Cup, the FIBA Champions League, and the Intercontinental Cup.
Ultimately, wearing the crown, the King of the Copa del Rey graced the festival in Malaga—a city renowned for celebrating great triumphs.
News