TORONTO - Cavaliers center Kendrick Perkins is known for a few things on the court, such as his ability to bang, intimidate and enforce, but motivational speaking probably isn't something you'd associate him with.

As he continues to get acclimated to his new team, his best and most powerful attribute so far is his words, and LeBron James is hearing him loud and clear.

Right before the starters take the court, you'll catch Perkins forcefully wrapping his arms around James and he begins speaking words of encouragement in his ear. James would then nod his head as he soaks it in.

When Perkins speaks, players listen. He has been influential in inspiring some of the greats throughout his career - from Ray Allen, to Kevin Garnett, to Rajon Rondo, to Kevin Durant to Russell Westbrook. What he shares with them varies, depending on the scenario.

"I've done it all the time," Perkins told Northeast Ohio Media Group. "I'm just getting them ready because I know we're all in the same boat looking for the same thing. You've got to take care of your dogs."

As for James right now, Perkins' mission is to make sure No. 23 squashes the disrespectful comparison that Perkins says James has been receiving this year.

"A lot of people are starting to compare other players to him and they're not even on the same level as him," Perkins said. "I'm just telling him to be great. I'm letting him know that it's on him to go out there and show the world once again who the man is."

As if James needs any extra incentives to set himself apart from the likes of Golden State's Stephen Curry and Houston's James Harden.

"Even though he might not need it, I feel like I got to remind him of who he is," Perkins said.

Perkins and James have a relationship that goes back nearly 19 years. They first competed against each other on the AAU circuit in the eighth grade. And believe it or not, this isn't the first time they've been teammates.

In the 10th grade, they joined forces on the Oakland Soldiers AAU squad, dominating the competition. After all these years and the different paths each has taken, James said Perkins hasn't changed one bit.

"With Perk, he's always put his mindset in on who he's going up against, the team that he's going up against before he even stepped out on the floor," James said. "He's always had that aggression. I loved playing with him when we were kids and I hated playing against him those times when he was in Boston and OKC, and I'm back to loving him again.

"He's a guy that you hate to go against because he's just so competitive, so determined to win, and then when you get beside him, you love him because he's with you and all he cares about is the team. He cares about winning. He'll run through a wall for you. I'm ecstatic about him being here."

Perkins' impact with the Cavaliers goes beyond what a stat sheet reads. He provides a mental toughness and an edge. He may not be playing much, but he's going to attempt to instill his DNA into each and every one of his teammates.

He said everything is going as planned.

"Whatever I have to do to get this team up to play, I'm going to do it," he said. "And part of it is making sure 'Bron is in the right frame of mind. I'm going to do what's ever in my power to get him going because he's the best in the game."