Jason Kidd

Jason Frederick Kidd, born March 23, 1973, in San Francisco, California, is one of the greatest point guards in NBA history — a two-time NBA Draft second overall pick, twelve-time All-Star, and the point guard who defined a generation with his court vision, defensive intensity, and will to win. Kidd grew up in Oakland, California, playing high school basketball at St. Joseph Notre Dame High School, where he became the most recruited point guard in the country. He enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley, under head coach Lou Campanelli and earned Pac-10 Freshman of the Year honors before declaring for the draft after his sophomore season. Dallas selected Kidd second overall in the 1994 NBA Draft — a choice that launched one of the most remarkable point guard careers in league history. In his first NBA season, Kidd won the 1995 NBA Rookie of the Year Award alongside Grant Hill — only the second time in history two players shared the award. He immediately established himself as the most electrifying young point guard in the league, averaging 11.7 assists per game and bringing a pace and energy to the Mavericks that had never been seen before. After two seasons in Dallas, Kidd was traded to the Phoenix Suns in 1996, where he became a perennial MVP candidate. He later moved to the New Jersey Nets (now Brooklyn Nets), where he led the franchise to back-to-back NBA Finals appearances (2002, 2003). In 2008, the Mavericks reunited with Kidd — bringing him back to Dallas as a veteran leader. He provided the wisdom and defensive intensity that helped the 2011 Mavericks defeat LeBron James and the Miami Heat for the NBA Championship. Kidd averaged 8.7 assists, 6.2 rebounds, and brought an elite defensive presence to the title run. After retiring from playing in 2013 with 12,091 career assists — the NBA all-time record — Kidd transitioned to coaching, eventually becoming head coach of the Milwaukee Bucks (2014-2018) and the Brooklyn Nets (2020). He returned to Dallas as head coach in 2021 and has guided the franchise through its most consequential years, including the Mavericks' run to the 2024 NBA Finals.