Perkins is looking and feeling much better since the last time we saw him.

Three weeks after having surgery to repair a torn ACL suffered in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, Kendrick Perkins is hosting a basketball camp at his old high school,Ozen High School, in his hometown of Beaumont, Texas–and he’s feeling good. (Beaumont Enterprise)

Perkins didn’t look like he just had surgery. He had no crutches or a noticeable limp when he walked.

“I feel really good – everything is going well so far,” Perkins said. “I can’t wait to come back (to the Celtics).”

Perkins is co-hosting the camp, for children ages 10-18, with his former teammate and Texas native, Sam Cassell. Teammates Nate Robinson and Rajon Rondo are also on hand, providing instruction and guidance to the campers. Cassell was impressed with Perkins’ maturity and dedication to the kids.

“His rehab is not going to be easy,” said Sam Cassell, Perkins’ former teammate who won an NBA championship with him in 2008 and organized the Beaumont camp at Ozen High School. “He could have easily said he couldn’t do it this year, but he didn’t because he knew what it would mean to all of the kids. He wanted them to know what road to take to be successful.”

You’ve got to love Perkins: he does everything the right way. A lot of professional athletes would have bailed on a camp like this after undergoing surgery and having the nightmare last couple months that Perkins has had. But not Perk. Not only is he the toughest, scowling-est bastard in the league, but he also has an unquestioned work ethic and a maturity level beyond his years.

“It’s always a pleasure to come back home and it’s a blessing to work with these kids,” the Boston Celtics’ center and former Ozen High School standout said. “I want to be a role model and give them something they’ve never experienced before – working with professional athletes.”