DALLAS — Jason Kidd is doing everything he can to help the Dallas Mavericks prepare for the NBA Finals. Kidd has an opportunity to become just the eighth person in NBA history to win a championship with the same team as both a head coach and a player. He was asked what it would mean to join the seven other players/head coaches who accomplish the feat.
“It's an incredible thing to be able to hopefully achieve,” Kidd said on Sunday. “But I'm just very thankful for one (Mark) Cuban bringing me on board, and then also being able to work with Nico (Harrison) and now our new ownership with Patrick (Dumont). Again, I'm with a great group of leaders, we're in a great city when you talk about sports. And then you talk about our team, when you talk about Luka (Doncic) and Kai (Kyrie Irving) and the rest of the group it's an incredible opportunity and I'm just very fortunate to be in this seat.”
Kidd played a role in helping the Mavs win their first championship in 2011. He already had a Hall of Fame career, but bringing a championship to Dallas helped cement his Mavericks legacy.
He now has an opportunity to further cement his legacy, however.
Jason Kidd: “I know how to win”
Kidd and the Mavs answered difficult questions last season after the team missed the postseason. The head coach was asked about that as Dallas completely turned things around in 2023-24 and now they are preparing for the NBA Finals.
“You guys ask all the tough questions,” Kidd said. “These are tough questions. No, everybody has their right to their opinion. That's fair. You guys are doing your job. As the head coach of the Mavs I'm doing my job. The tough questions last year… Tough questions that will come from this series. I will give you the answer. Some will like it, some will not. But my job is to help these young men get paid and also to find a way to win a championship.
“I've done that since I was a player. And since I've been a coach there's a lot of people who have gotten paid from just listening to what I've asked them to do as a player and then also as a coach. So now we have an opportunity to win a championship.”
Finding ways to win as a player and a coach feature similarities. The difference, of course, is that as a player you can execute the gameplan. As a head coach, you need your players to get the job done. Having Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic lead the way has certainly made Kidd's job a lot easier.
Of course, the former star point guard knows what it takes to win.
“Two out of the three years we've gone to the Western Conference Finals. Some would say that's pretty cool. Some will say that that's failure. But that's just the way it goes. You're not gonna make everybody happy but I know how to win. I've done that since elementary school to the highest level. I've won gold medals, I've won championships. And I've won a championship as a coach, assistant coach. Now I get the opportunity to do it hopefully as a head coach.”
Mavericks believe in Jason Kidd
Mavs players have spoken highly of Kidd throughout the season. Rookie center Dereck Lively II is the latest player to give the Mavericks head coach his flowers.
“I feel like he's been one of the best coaches I've ever had,” Lively said on Sunday. “You know, he's putting me in positions where he's expecting me to fail, and even if I fail he's going to lead me in there to learn… His coaching style fits me very well. He's walking into the locker room and then asking ‘so what do we think?' Being able to have a coach like that who's gonna make the players speak, make the players talk to one another, and then say what he thinks. It's an amazing process… We're just able to help each other.
“I just feel like Coach Kidd… There's been a lot of criticism on him and I don't understand why. I feel like he's an amazing coach and an amazing person.”
Jason Kidd can make NBA history by accomplishing what only a few other individuals have done with a championship. The Boston Celtics stand in his way, though. Yet, the Mavericks will remain confident.
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