Curtis Perry was selected by the San Diego Rockets in the third round of the 1970 NBA draft and by the Virginia Squires in the 1970 American Basketball Association Draft.

Perry played for the NBA's San Diego / Houston Rockets (1970–71), Milwaukee Bucks (1971–74) and Phoenix Suns (1974–78).

In his rookie season with San Diego in 1970–71, he was sent to the Northwest Travellers of the Continental Basketball Association in January 1971 and returned to the Rockets in March.[3] He helped the Bucks win the 1971–72 and 1972–73 NBA Midwest Division titles, and the 1973–74 NBA Western Conference championship. He also helped the Phoenix Suns win the 1975–76 NBA Western Conference championship. On February 15, 1975, Perry scored 26 points and grabbed a career-high 22 rebounds in a 111-107 loss against the Atlanta Hawks. In the 1976 Finals, Perry was a key player in "the greatest game ever played" in NBA history.