Long before Jason Kidd became head coach of the Dallas Mavericks, he was one of the best point guards in the NBA. Kidd came into the league all the way back in 1994 and had the fortune/misfortune of going up against the great Michael Jordan.
Like so many who came up against him, Jordan made a big impression on Kidd, and the 53-year-old called him the greatest of all time during an appearance on the Dan Patrick Show.
“He’s special,” Kidd said. “Being able to play against MJ, again, the best to ever do it. The one thing I always tell people about MJ is when you bought a ticket that you were going to leave there very impressed and not disappointed. And so, if you were at the Garden, or in Boston, if you were in Golden State, he always performed at a very high level.
“And so I don’t know if people really understood the performance that he did on a nightly basis,” Kidd continued. “When you paid, you were entertained. He always did something special. So, I always thought he was the best at his job.”
Jordan, of course, wasn’t in the NBA when Kidd first arrived. He had retired for the first time in 1993 and then returned in March 1995.
Their first meeting would finally come on Nov. 21, 1995, when the Mavericks took on the Chicago Bulls. Kidd impressed that night, recording 25 points (9-22 FG), 15 rebounds, 11 assists, and six steals. It wasn’t enough, though. Jordan put up 36 points (12-25 FG), eight rebounds, five assists, two steals, and two blocks to lead the Bulls to a 108-102 win in overtime.
This game pretty much sums up what the 1990s were like. You play great against the Bulls, but still end up on the losing side because Jordan was just too good. He would three-peat twice in the decade, first from 1991 to 1993 and then from 1996 to 1998. To go with his six titles. Jordan won six Finals MVPs, five MVPs, one DPOY, and 10 scoring titles. That’s a phenomenal resume, and it’s why so many believe he is the GOAT.
Getting back to Kidd, he lost three of his four meetings with Jordan when he was with the Bulls. The tables did turn, though, when the great man came out of retirement for the second time to play for the Washington Wizards in 2001.
Kidd won five of his seven meetings with Jordan’s Wizards to finish his career with a positive 6-5 record against him. We don’t really focus too much on that Washington era, though, because he was past his best by then. He should have never played for the Wizards, and it’s a decision he regrets as well.
Jason Kidd’s Ball-Handling Mount Rushmore
We mentioned earlier that Kidd was a great player. Among his many gifts was ball-handling, and he was asked for his Mount Rushmore here.
“Isiah Thomas, Detroit,” Kidd began. “Isiah, Kyrie [Irving]. I’m going to give you one that a lot of people don’t talk about is Rod Strickland… His handle and his finishing was incredible. I’mma go with Steve Nash. Nash was in the box, but he only dribbled it twice, because he was always passing it. But I thought his handles were tight, too.
“And then Jamal Crawford, even though he could get outside the box, he can embarrass you inside the box, too,” Kidd added. “So, I think that’s Mount Rushmore for me. But out of those, Isiah and Kai are the best that I’ve seen.”
Well, a Mount Rushmore is only supposed to have four players, but Kidd named five. None of them would be out of place, though. Kidd believes Isiah Thomas and Kyrie Irving are the best he has seen, and the latter is atop our ranking of the greatest ball-handlers of all time.
