Jason Kidd is pursuing a job as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski.
The report comes less than a week after the 40-year-old point guard retired from the NBA after 19 years in the league. Kidd spent nearly seven full seasons with the Nets (while the team was in New Jersey) and he was an integral piece in their run to the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. He is still a popular figure among Nets fans and reportedly still holds strong ties with the Nets organization.
The retiree was an electric all-around player during his Hall of Fame career, averaging 12.6 points, 8.7 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game. He was a 10-time All-Star, four-time first team All-Defensive Team selection and won an NBA championship in 2011 as a member of the Dallas Mavericks. He finished his career with 107 triple-doubles… third on the NBA’s career list.
From day one, Kidd was a talented leader who commanded the floor like few point guards have ever done before. He was an extremely valuable player whose unquestionable understanding of the game was just as valuable to the Nets’ — or any other NBA teams’ — core of good, young athletes.
The Indiana Pacers’ associate head coach, Brian Shaw, has been considered the top candidate for the job since the Nets let interim head coach P.J. Carlesimo walk following their first-round playoff exit. However, the Nets are not the only team making a run for this highly-regarded coach.
Louis Musto is a reporter and sports talk host for the Sports Journey Broadcast Network. You can follow him on Twitter @LouisMusto.