Big things are expected from the Nets franchise, especially after they acquired Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in 2019. So far the duo has not been able to deliver, only winning one playoff series despite having James Harden for one playoff run. That means the franchise’s most successful team in its history is the one they had in the early 2000s when they were still in New Jersey and led by Jason Kidd.
Kidd is arguably the greatest Net, he led the team to multiple NBA Finals, although they came up short both times against dynasties. First, the Kobe-Shaq Los Angeles Lakers and then the Tim Duncan led San Antonio Spurs denied Kidd and his team the chance to make history by winning the championship. And that era began with a very short but motivating speech from Kidd (via Nets Daily).
“The New Jersey Nets gathered in October 2001 for the opening of training camp. They were coming off yet another disappointing season with only 26 wins and were preparing for a new season with essentially one change on the roster. They had made a splash in the offseason – a swap to acquire Jason Kidd for Stephon Marbury.
“Now, even before the balls were rolled out, the team with no real expectations sat down for the traditional opening of camp, the team dinner. Kidd looked around at his teammates, coaches and staff and uttered four words that would change the franchise forever: ‘The losing is over.’ Then three others: ‘Stick with me.’
“No one (except Charles Barkley) even suggested New Jersey would make the playoffs, but led by Kidd, the Nets made it to the NBA Finals that season and again the next.”
Kidd is one of the greatest leaders in NBA history, and even if he wasn’t able to win a title with the Nets, he retired a champion after winning in 2011 as a part of the Dallas Mavericks. He is now coach of the same Mavericks franchise as they prepare for their second-round matchup against the Phoenix Suns. Mavs fans will be hoping that Kidd can inspire similar magic in his first season as the franchise’s head coach as he did when he joined the Nets as a player.
