"I'd hire him in a heartbeat" - When Magic Johnson talked about Jason Kidd's future as a coach
Jason Kidd embarked on a coaching role right after his playing career. As a player, J-Kidd's court vision, strategic thinking, and ability to lead his team effectively were unmatched, and these qualities stood out to his fellow NBA legend, Magic Johnson.
Magic saw Kidd's potential to become a successful head coach in the NBA early on. In fact, the Showtime Los Angeles Lakers star point guard even noted that he wouldn't hesitate to hire the California native if he was an NBA team owner.
"I think Jason's gonna be a great head coach, and I'd hire him in a heartbeat," Johnson told ESPN ahead of Kidd's first season as NBA coach in 2013.
"I think that from Jason Kidd's standpoint, I think he'll do a great job," he added. "We've seen Mark Jackson do a wonderful job with Golden State, and if [Jason's] heart is into it and he's willing to put in the work -- because what he won't understand is that it takes more work than it did as a player."
It is tough for NBA stars to coach
As a coach, it is essential to understand that each player has unique strengths, weaknesses, and experience levels. Johnson's early recognition of Kidd's coaching potential reflects his deep understanding of the game and what it takes to be a successful coach, having been in the same situation in the past as the Lakers head coach.
That said, Johnson emphasized the need for Kidd to recognize that not all players on his team could reach the same level of skill and talent he possessed during his playing days. While the one-time champion may have been an exceptional player in his prime, Magic pointed out that he must shift his perspective from expecting all his players to perform at his caliber to nurturing each individual's talents and helping them grow to their full potential.
"I used to holler [at my point guard from the sidelines]," he started. "'He's open! He's open! He's open!' And about the third game doing it, my assistant coach, Michael Cooper, pulled me aside and said, 'Quit hollering he's open because you can see it, but he can't.' And I kept saying, 'Why? He's open.'"
"So I think he's gonna have to understand that guys are not gonna be able to play like him or be as dedicated as he was. He can't expect everybody to be great like him, so that's probably going to be his biggest challenge," Magic shared.
Coaching is different than playing
Johnson is also well aware that coaching requires a different set of skills, such as strategic thinking, player development, and managing a team's dynamics. Despite only calling shots for the Lakers for a short period of time, Magic clearly understood the adjustments needed to be an effective coach, and those are the same things he was certain Kidd would have to encounter.
Establishing authority and respect among players and staff is crucial for a head coach. The way Magic saw it, Kidd would not have a problem earning the trust of his players and creating a positive team culture. However, Johnson speculated that J-Kidd may face some hurdles in his new role, especially in critical game planning, but he could benefit from the support of his assistant coaches in that area.
"Game-planning is also tough because he hasn't been doing that, so just to come up with the game plan on offense and defense, I would think it would help to have some top-notch assistants that can help him with that," Johnson assessed.
"Player-wise, he'll handle that. Respect-wise, he'll get that from Day 1, because he's been a winner, he's a Hall of Famer, he'll get that in the locker room. He knows how to deal with egos because he's been in those locker rooms, but his challenge will be the game plan, day-to-day, and making sure that he doesn't judge guys or expect guys to be like him or be dedicated," he added.
J-Kidd is now one of the best coaches in the league
After stints with the Brooklyn Nets, Milwaukee Bucks, and Lakers, Kidd became the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks in the 2021-2022 NBA season, and his impact has been nothing short of remarkable.
With over two decades of high-level experience in the NBA as a player, including winning an NBA championship, Kidd brought a wealth of knowledge and expertise to his coaching and leadership style in Dallas.
As it stands, Coach Kidd led the Mavs to an emphatic Western Conference championship run. It is the first time the Mavs made it to the Finals since 2011. Even though Kyrie Irving and Luka Doncic have been exceptional, it's only proper that he also gets the credit he rightfully deserves.
