Jason Kidd calls LeBron James the best to ever do it
Kidd and LeBron have a great relationship.
© Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Although the Lakers are having a horrible season, sitting even out of the play-in spot at the moment, LeBron is still having a great individual year at 37 years old in his 19th season, fighting for the scoring title. Despite his team going down, the individual numbers could possibly even boost LeBron's legacy, as he is getting a lot of respect from his peers and opponents.
Jason Kidd praises LeBron
Every game now is crucial for the Lakers, as they are fighting with the Pelicans and Spurs to get into the play-in. Unfortunately. last night in Dallas, LeBron had to sit out with knee and ankle soreness, making the hard game basically impossible to win.
Of course, led by Luka Dončić, Dallas crushed the Lakers without too much trouble, with James watching from the bench. At least he got a few laughs in with Jared Dudley, who is now an assistant for the Mavs, and head coach Jason Kidd.
Recommended Articles
Kidd and LeBron have a lot of respect for each other, as Kidd played with LeBron in the 2008 Olympics, battled him numerous times, and even served as an assistant with the Lakers for a few years before getting the Mavs job. LeBron maybe didn't play last night, but that didn't stop the Mavs head coach Jason Kidd from sharing high praises for LeBron.
"In my book, he's going to go down as the best to ever do it."
Jason Kidd, Brad Townsend Twitter
Kidd is giving LeBron some of the highest praise you can give a player, as it seems he ranks LeBron above MJ in his GOAT rankings. You can attribute that to the fact that Kidd and LeBron have similar basket minds with a very high IQ and knowledge of the game, being some of the best facilitators and all-around players the NBA has ever seen.
LeBron is a better and more athletic version of what Jason Kidd was in his prime. That, alongside sharing the locker room in the 2008 Olympics, where Kidd served as a mentor and veteran presence, helped build a bond. Also, in the 2020 bubble Championship, Kidd served as an assistant for the Lakers, with many people predicting he would take the job from Vogel in the near future.
But still, what may surprise in Kidd's stance is that he was on the opposing end of LeBron's worst moment of his career. The 2011 NBA Finals meltdown in which the Heat blew a 2-1 lead to the underdog Mavericks, with James coming up short and looking like the shelf of himself stained his legacy, but Kidd, who was one of the X-factors for the Mavs, doesn't make too big of a deal out it. For him, there is no one better than LeBron James.
