Jason Kidd

Jason Frederick Kidd (born March 23, 1973) is an American professional basketball coach and former player. Widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards of all time, Kidd was a 10-time NBA All-Star, a six-time All-NBA Team member, and a nine-time NBA All-Defensive Team member. He won an NBA championship in 2011 as a member of the Dallas Mavericks and was a two-time gold medal winner in the Olympics with the U.S. national team in 2000 and 2008. He has been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame twice: in 2018 for his individual career, and in 2025 as a member of the Redeem Team. In 2021, Kidd was honored as one of the league's greatest players by being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Kidd played college basketball for the California Golden Bears and was selected by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 1994 NBA draft as the second overall pick. He was named co-NBA Rookie of the Year in his first season with the Mavericks, along with Grant Hill. Then, from 1996 to 2001, Kidd played for the Phoenix Suns and later for the New Jersey Nets from 2001 to 2008. He led the Nets to two consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003. In the middle of the 2007–08 season, Kidd was traded back to Dallas. At age 38, Kidd won his only NBA championship when Dallas defeated the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals. He finished his playing career in 2013 with the New York Knicks. Kidd's ability to pass and rebound made him a regular triple-double threat. Upon his retirement, he ranked third in NBA history for career regular season triple-doubles with 107 and third in career playoff triple-doubles with 11. As of 2025, he ranks third on both the NBA all-time list in career assists and the NBA all-time list in career steals. In June 2013, Kidd wa

Brooklyn Nets (2013–2014)
On June 12, 2013, Kidd was named head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, replacing interim coach P. J. Carlesimo. He is the third person since the ABA–NBA merger to debut as an NBA head coach the season after he retired as a player. In September 2013, Kidd bought a minority ownership stake in the team (from Jay-Z).
On October 17, 2013, the Nets retired and raised his number 5 jersey to the rafters before a preseason game against the Miami Heat.
Kidd was suspended for the first two games of the season after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor DWI charge stemming from an incident in July 2012. Joe Prunty served as acting head coach for the team's season opener in Cleveland and their home opener against Miami. He made his debut as head coach on November 3 in a loss to the Orlando Magic. On November 5, Kidd had his first victory as head coach in a 104–88 win over the Utah Jazz. On November 28, Kidd was fined $50,000 by the NBA for instructing his player Tyshawn Taylor to bump into him and intentionally spilling a cup of soda on the court in order to stop the game so his team could draw up a last-second offensive play against the Lakers.
After a loss to the Chicago Bulls on Christmas Day, the Nets dropped to a disappointing 9–19 record. Many critics started to question Kidd's ability to manage a group of veterans that included Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Joe Johnson and there even appeared to be rumors that Kidd might be on his way out before the end of the season. However, the Nets were able to turn things around at the beginning of 2014 and finished the season with a 44–38 record, while Kidd began to get recognition for his coaching skills.
On February 3, 2014, Kidd was named the Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for January. On April 1, 2014, he was named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month a second time for March. He became the fourth coach overall to win both Player of the Month and Coach of the Month honors. He also became the second coach, after Jeff Hornacek of the Phoenix Suns, to win both honors with the same team.
In the first round of the 2014 NBA playoffs, the Brooklyn Nets eliminated the Toronto Raptors in a 7-game series. Kidd is the 19th rookie head coach in the league's history to coach his team in a decisive game 7 on the road, and became the first one to win it. In the semifinals, the Nets faced the Miami Heat and lost the series 4–1.

Milwaukee Bucks (2014–2018)

On July 1, 2014, the Milwaukee Bucks secured Kidd's coaching rights from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for two second-round draft picks in 2015 and 2019. The move did not come without controversy, as it was reported that Kidd had been seeking more management power over the Nets' general manager Billy King and after being denied began talks with the Bucks even though they still had a coach under contract in Larry Drew. He later stated that he felt the Nets truly did not want him nor were they committed to building a contender. In his return to Brooklyn on November 19, 2014, he was greeted with heavy boos and jeers.
The Bucks were one of the biggest surprises of the 2014–15 season. Under Kidd's guidance, the young team improved from franchise-worst 15 wins in the previous season, finishing with a 41–41 record to advance to the playoffs as the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee achieved that feat despite losing their 2nd draft pick overall Jabari Parker in December to a knee injury and trading star guard Brandon Knight to the Phoenix Suns in February. Kidd is the first coach in NBA history to lead two franchises to the playoffs in his first two years as a head coach. Kidd finished third in voting for the Coach of the Year Award behind Mike Budenholzer and Steve Kerr.
The 2015–16 season was less successful for Kidd, as the Bucks finished with a 33–49 record and did not qualify to the playoffs. On December 20, 2015, it was reported that Kidd would be out indefinitely as he would undergo hip surgery