Jason Kidd

Kidd with the Mavericks
No. 2 – Dallas Mavericks
Guard
Personal information
Born	(1973-03-23) March 23, 1973 (age 39) San Francisco, California
Nationality	American
High school	St. Joseph Notre Dame
Listed height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight	209 lb (95 kg)
Career information
College	California (1992–1994)
NBA Draft	1994 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2nd overall
Selected by the Dallas Mavericks
Pro career	1994–present
League	NBA
Career history
1994–1996	Dallas Mavericks
1996–2001	Phoenix Suns
2001–2008	New Jersey Nets
2008–present	Dallas Mavericks
Career highlights and awards
NBA Champion (2011) NBA co-Rookie of the Year (1995) 10× NBA All-Star (1996, 1998, 2000–2004, 2007–2008, 2010) 5× All-NBA First Team (1999–2002, 2004) All-NBA Second Team (2003) 4× NBA All-Defensive First Team (1999, 2001–2002, 2006) 5× NBA All-Defensive Second Team (2000, 2003–2005, 2007) 5× NBA assists leader (1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1995) Skills Challenge Champion (2003) NBA Sportsmanship Award (2012) Naismith Prep Player of the Year (1992)

Jason Frederick Kidd (born March 23, 1973) is an American professional basketball point guard who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. Raised in Oakland, California, Kidd played college basketball at the University of California, Berkeley and was drafted second overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 1994 NBA Draft. Then, from 1996 to 2001, Kidd played for the Phoenix Suns and later for the New Jersey Nets from 2001 to 2008. In the middle of the 2007–2008 season, Kidd was traded back to Dallas. Along with his three NBA Finals appearances including a championship win in 2011, Kidd won two Olympic gold medals with the US national team in 2000 and 2008.

He led his former team, the New Jersey Nets to two consecutive NBA Finals appearances (2002 and 2003) before winning in 2011 with Dallas. His on-court versatility also makes him a regular triple-double threat, and he is in third place all-time for regular season triple-doubles in the NBA with a career total of 107^[1] and second in playoffs triple-doubles with a career total of 11.^[2]

Early life[link]

This biographical section of an article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (August 2008)

Kidd was born in San Francisco, California and raised in an upper middle class section of Oakland, California. His father Steve was African-American, and his mother Anne is Irish-American. The oldest of 6 children, Kidd attended St. Paschal Baylon school in the Oakland Hills. As a youth, Kidd was highly scouted for AAU teams and tourneys, garnering various all-star and MVP awards. He frequented the city courts of Oakland, where he often found himself pitted against future NBA All-Star Gary Payton. The two still reminisce about the playing days of their youth. During his youth, Kidd also excelled at soccer, baseball as well as other sports.

At St. Joseph Notre Dame High School in Alameda, California, under the guidance of coach Frank LaPorte, Kidd led the Pilots to back-to-back state championships, averaging 25 points, 10 assists, 7 rebounds and 7 steals his senior season. During that year, he also received a host of individual honors, including the Naismith Award as the nation's top high school player, and was named Player of the Year by PARADE and USA Today. The all-time prep leader in assists (1,155) and the state's seventh-best career scorer (2,661 points), Kidd was voted California Player of the Year for the second time and also a McDonald's All-American. On January 31, 2012, Kidd was honored as one of the 35 Greatest McDonald's All Americans.^[3]

After a highly publicized recruiting process, Kidd shocked many fans and pundits alike by choosing to attend the nearby University of California, Berkeley—a school that was coming off a 10–18 season and hadn't won a conference title since 1960—over a number of top-ranked collegiate programs including the University of Arizona, the University of Kentucky, the University of Kansas, and The Ohio State University.

College[link]

During his first year at California, Kidd averaged 13.0 points, 7.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.8 steals per game which earned him national Freshman of the Year honors and a spot on the All Pac-10 Team along with teammate and fellow freshman Danny Anderson, making them the fifth and sixth newcomer in conference history to do so. His 110 steals broke both the NCAA record for most steals by a freshman and set a school record for most steals in a season, while his 220 assists that season also was a school record. His play also was a key factor in the resurgence of Cal Basketball and helped The Golden Bears earn an NCAA Tournament bid, where they upset two-time defending national champion Duke in the second round of that tournament before losing to Kansas in the Sweet 16.

Kidd continued his success as a sophomore, tallying averages of 16.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 3.1 steals and 9.1 assists, breaking his previous school record for most assists in a season with 272, while also leading the nation in that category. He was also selected a First Team All-American, the first Cal player to be so named since 1968, as well as Pac-10 Player of the Year, becoming the first sophomore to receive that honor. The Golden Bears would make the NCAA Tournament again as a 5 seed, but would be upset in the first round by Dick Bennett's twelve-seeded Wisconsin–Green Bay team 61–57. Kidd was also named a finalist for both the Naismith and Wooden Awards as college basketball's top player and subsequently opted to enter the NBA Draft in 1994. In 2004, Cal retired Kidd's number 5 jersey.

NBA career[link]

Dallas Mavericks (1994–1996)[link]

Kidd was selected as the second pick overall by the Dallas Mavericks, behind Glenn Robinson of Purdue, and just ahead of Duke's versatile swingman Grant Hill. In his first year he averaged 11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, 7.7 assists, and led the NBA in triple doubles, sharing 1995 NBA Rookie of the Year honors with Grant Hill of the Detroit Pistons.^[4] The year before the Mavericks drafted Jason Kidd, they ended a season with the worst record in the NBA at 13–69. After Kidd's first season with the Mavericks, their record improved to 36–46 which was the best improvement in the NBA that season. Kidd also was voted in as a starter in the 1996 All-Star Game. In his first two years with the Mavericks, the move most people associated him with is "the Baseball pass". Kidd was a member of the "Three J's" in Dallas along with Jim Jackson and Jamal Mashburn. However, that plan did not come to fruition, as all three found themselves playing for other teams shortly thereafter.

Phoenix Suns (1996–2001)[link]

Kidd was traded to the Phoenix Suns with Tony Dumas and Loren Meyer for Michael Finley, A. C. Green, and Sam Cassell during the 1996–97 season. Kidd made the All-Star Game three times (1998, 2000, & 2001) with the Suns. In 2001, after five seasons in Phoenix in which the team made the playoffs each year under Kidd, he was traded, along with Chris Dudley, to the New Jersey Nets for Stephon Marbury, Johnny Newman, and Soumaila Samake.

New Jersey (2001–2008)[link]

Kidd shooting a free throw when he was a Net.

The 2001–02 season saw Kidd lead the Nets to a surprising 52–30 finish, and marked one of his best all-around seasons as he finished second to the Spurs' Tim Duncan in MVP voting. Many have argued that Kidd deserved to win the award because of his impact in New Jersey—transforming the Nets from perennial league doormats into championship contenders seemingly in the space of a single training camp. His contribution to the Nets during his first season in New Jersey was huge, and resulted in one of the greatest turnarounds in NBA history. He was also fortunate to join the team when he did, as the team reaped the benefits of the newly healthy Kenyon Martin, Kerry Kittles and Keith Van Horn; along with the trading of Eddie Griffin for Richard Jefferson, Jason Collins, and Brandon Armstrong.

Under Kidd's guidance, the young Nets team prospered through the playoffs and ended up advancing all the way to the Eastern Conference title and the franchise's first-ever appearance in the NBA Finals. However, New Jersey's season would end without an improbable NBA crown, as Kidd and the Nets were swept in four games by Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant's Los Angeles Lakers. New Jersey enjoyed another stellar season under the helm of Kidd's leadership in the 2002–03 NBA season, during which the team finished 49–33 and reached the NBA Finals once again, only to succumb to Tim Duncan's San Antonio Spurs in six games. He had his highest scoring season with 18.7 points per game^[5] and led the league in assists with 8.9 per game.^[6]

On July 1, 2004, Kidd underwent microfracture surgery to repair a damaged knee. He made a full recovery and returned to the court in December of that year, during which the Nets acquired star swingman Vince Carter from the Toronto Raptors. With the Nets hanging on the prospect of missing the playoffs for the first time since 2001 and with Jefferson injured, Carter and Kidd combined to fuel the team to a late regular-season surge that enabled them to inch past the Cleveland Cavaliers for the eighth and final playoff berth in the East. However, their season would come to an end early as they fell in four games to top-seeded Miami in the first round.

In 2005–06, Kidd averaged 13.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.4 assists (5th in the league). On February 1, 2007, Kidd was named a reserve for the NBA All-Star game along with teammate Vince Carter. However, Kidd missed the game because of a strained back and was replaced on the roster by Joe Johnson.^[7]

On April 7, 2007, Kidd and Carter became the first teammates to record triple-doubles in the same game since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen did it in 1989 for the Chicago Bulls. Kidd finished with 10 points, 16 rebounds, and 18 assists. In the 2006–07 postseason, Kidd notched his 10th postseason career triple-double on April 27, 2007 in Game 3 against the Toronto Raptors. He recorded 16 points on 50% field goal shooting, a playoff career high 19 assists, 16 rebounds, 3 steals, and a block, as the Nets defeated the Raptors 102–89.^[8] He tied Larry Bird for second All-time in career postseason triple-doubles.^[9] In the first round of the postseason, Kidd averaged 14.0 points, 13.2 assists, 10.0 rebounds, and 2.0 steals, as the Nets defeated the Raptors in six games. He joined Wilt Chamberlain and Magic Johnson as the only players in NBA history to average a triple-double in multiple playoff series.^[10] In Game 3 of the second round in the 2006–07 playoffs, Kidd recorded his 11th postseason triple-double with 23 points, 14 assists and 13 rebounds, breaking the tie with Larry Bird for second place on the All-Time career list.^[2] For the postseason, Kidd averaged 14.6 points, 10.9 assists and 10.9 rebounds in twelve playoff games.^[11] He became the second player in NBA history to average a triple-double for an entire postseason.^[12]

In the 2007–08 NBA season, Kidd became the third player to get a triple-double in three straight games since 1989. He did so after he logged his 97th career triple-double in a 115-99 loss to the Charlotte Bobcats.^[13] Kidd was voted by the fans to start in the 2008 All-Star game in New Orleans as a guard along with Dwyane Wade.

After that season Kidd had been mentioned in trade rumors, notably to the Los Angeles Lakers, but the deal fell through when the Lakers refused to give up their young center Andrew Bynum. On January 28, 2008, Kidd revealed that his agent had been talking to the Nets' front office about a trade. On February 19, 2008, Kidd was traded^[14] to the Dallas Mavericks, the team that originally drafted him.

Return to Dallas (2008–present)[link]

Kidd drives to the basket during a game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

On February 13, 2008, the Dallas Mavericks and New Jersey Nets reached an agreement on a trade to send Kidd and Malik Allen to Dallas for Devin Harris, Devean George, Jerry Stackhouse, DeSagana Diop, Maurice Ager, two first-round drafts picks (in 2008 and 2010), and $3 million, but the trade fell through when George invoked his (Early) Bird rights, as was stipulated in his contract at the time.^[15][16] The trade was retooled, with Trenton Hassell replacing George, and Keith Van Horn, who had agreed to come out of retirement, replacing Stackhouse, because NBA officials informed the Mavericks that if Stackhouse were to be included in the deal, he could not re-sign with the team if the Nets chose to buy out his contract.^{[citation needed]} Antoine Wright was also added to the retooled trade proposal (the two teams originally agreed on a separate deal that would send Wright to the Mavericks for a 2008 second-round pick, but were ultimately able include him in the Kidd deal).^[17] On February 19, 2008, Kidd was officially traded to the Mavericks along with Allen and Wright for Van Horn (via a sign and trade deal), Harris, Diop, Hassell, Ager, $3 million, Ryan Anderson (the future 2008 first round pick), and the 2010 first round pick.^[18][19]

On July 5, 2009 Kidd verbally committed to re-signing with the Mavericks after being pursued heavily by the New York Knicks. The three-year deal is reportedly worth more than $25 million, all of it fully guaranteed.^[20]

On Halloween of 2010 against the Clippers, Kidd sank a 75 foot shot at the halftime buzzer.

On November 12, 2010, Kidd dished out his 11,000th career assist, an alley-oop dunk to teammate Tyson Chandler.

Jason Kidd won the NBA Championship with the Dallas Mavericks on June 12, 2011. It was the first championship in his career.

On February 20, 2012, Kidd collected his 2,515th career steal (passing Michael Jordan) making him second all-time in steals.

Milestones[link]

On April 16, 2008, Kidd reached a new career milestone, achieving his 100th career triple-double in the final regular-season game with the Dallas Mavericks that year against the New Orleans Hornets. In the 2008–09 season, Kidd became just the fourth player in NBA history to reach the 10,000 assist milestone and is now the only player in NBA history with 15,000 points, 10,000 assists and 7,000 rebounds. On April 5, 2009, Kidd passed Magic Johnson at third on the all-time assist list in a convincing 140–116 victory over the Phoenix Suns. Kidd scored 19 points with 6–8 shooting and a season high 20 assists, giving him a total of 10,142 career assists. On November 26, 2009, Kidd moved into 2nd place on the all-time assists list in a win against the Houston Rockets, surpassing Mark Jackson on the list. Kidd currently holds the record for most games played amongst active players. On February 20, 2012, Kidd passed Michael Jordan on the all-time steals list to become number 2 behind John Stockton.^[21]

USA Basketball[link]

Jason Kidd's first participation in USA basketball came after his first season at Berkeley. He was the only freshman chosen to take part in Team USA's 10-member team. The team played five games in Europe and finished with a record of 3–2. Kidd tied for team highs in assists per game with 4.0, and steals per game with 1.4. He also had averages of 8.4 points per game, and 4.2 rebounds per game.

Kidd's next stint with USA basketball came in 1999 where he participated in the USA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The team finished with an undefeated record of 10–0 resulting in a gold medal and earning a berth at the 2000 Olympics. Kidd averaged 7.4 PPG, 6.8 APG, 4.4 RPG, 2.7 SPG and again led the team in APG and SPG.

In 2000, Kidd was appointed as one of Team USA's tri-captains for the 2000 Olympics at Sydney. Kidd again led the team to an undefeated record of 8–0 which resulted in team USA winning the gold medal at the Olympic games. Kidd had averages of 6.0 ppg, 5.3 rpg, and had team highs of 4.4 apg, and 1.1 spg. Kidd also had a FG% of 51.6 and shot 50% from 3-point range.

In November 2002, Kidd was selected to participate in the 2002 USA Basketball Men's World Championship Team. However, he had to withdraw from the team due to an injury.

Kidd came back the next year and participated at the 2003 FIBA Americas Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Puerto Rico. Kidd again led the team to a record of 10–0, bringing home the gold medal and a berth at the 2004 Olympics. Kidd started all 10 games and had averages of 3.4 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 5.9 apg, and 1.2 spg.

However, Jason Kidd again had to withdraw from the 2004 Olympic team due to another injury.

In 2007, Kidd participated in the FIBA Americas Championship 2007. Kidd helped the team to a 10–0 record where he brought home another gold medal and a berth at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. Kidd had averages of 1.8 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 4.6 apg, and 1.3 spg. He also shot 60% from the field and 62.5% from 3-point distance. Kidd led the entire tournament with assist-to-turnover ratio of 9.20. With Kidd's help team USA averaged 116.7 ppg, and defeated their opponents by a margin of 39.5 ppg.

In 2008, Kidd participated in the 2008 Olympics where the team yet again went undefeated in winning their first gold medal since the 2000 Olympics.^[22] The team, given the "Redeem team" moniker because of failures in the 2002 FIBA World Championship and 2004 Summer Olympics, were once again crowned to be the best team in world basketball.

Jason Kidd has an impressive resume in USA basketball. In his professional career, he has an undefeated record of 56–0 including exhibition games. He has brought home five gold medals: three from Olympic qualifying tournaments, one from the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and one from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.^[23]

Personal life[link]

In January 2001, Jason Kidd was arrested and pleaded guilty to a domestic abuse charge for assaulting his wife Joumana in anger. As part of his plea, Kidd was ordered to attend anger management classes for six months. Kidd completed the mandatory counseling and continued to attend on his own, and it was reported that Kidd had given up alcohol. He and his wife were both active in their church and were thought to have completely reconciled. On January 9, 2007, Jason Kidd filed for divorce against his wife, citing "extreme cruelty" during their relationship. Kidd contended intense jealousy, paranoia, and the threat of "false domestic abuse claims" to the police as reasons for the divorce. On February 15, 2007 Joumana Kidd filed a counterclaim for divorce,^[24] claiming that the NBA star—among countless instances of abuse—"broke her rib and damaged her hearing by smashing her head into the console of a car". The couple have three children (Trey Jason (T.J.), and twins Miah and Jazelle).^[25]

On September 10, 2011, Kidd married Porschla Coleman.^[26] Porschla is a former model and has taken over the reins of the Jason Kidd Foundation.^[27]

NBA career statistics[link]

Regular season[link]

Playoffs[link]

NBA highlights[link]

• NBA Champion: 2011
• 10-time NBA All-Star: 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2010
• 6-time All-NBA:

• First Team: 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004
• Second Team: 2003

• 9-time All-Defensive Selection:

• First Team : 1999, 2001, 2002, 2006
• Second Team: 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007

• NBA co-Rookie of the Year: 1995 (with Grant Hill)
• NBA All-Rookie First Team: 1995
• NBA All-Star Skills Challenge champion: 2003
• 5-time NBA regular-season leader, assists per game: 1999 (10.8), 2000 (10.1), 2001 (9.8), 2003 (8.9), 2004 (9.2)
• 3-time NBA regular-season leader, total assists: 1999 (539), 2001 (753), 2003 (711)
• NBA regular-season leader, total steals: 2002 (175)

Other[link]

• 1992 Naismith High School Player of the Year
• USA Today and PARADE 1992 National High School Player of the Year
• 1994 Pac-10 Player of the Year
• Named First Team All-American as a sophomore at UC Berkeley.
• Member of the 2000 U.S.A. Dream Team which won gold at the Sydney Olympics.
• Member of the 2003 U.S.A. Basketball Men's Senior National Team.
• Named to the USA Today All-time All-USA Second Team in 2003.
• Featured on the cover of NBA Live 2003.
• University of California jersey (5) retired in 2004.
• Gold Medal with Team USA, Tournament of Americas Olympic Qualifiers
• Named USA Basketball's 2007 Male Athlete of the Year.
• Gold Medal with Team USA, 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.
• Ranked No.28 in SLAM Magazine's 2009 revision of the top 50 greatest players of all time (published in the August 2009 issue)^[28]

See also[link]

• List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career turnovers leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career 3-point scoring leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career playoff assists leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career playoff steals leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career playoff turnovers leaders
• List of National Basketball Association career playoff 3-point scoring leaders
• List of National Basketball Association players with 1000 games played
• List of National Basketball Association players with most assists in a game
• List of oldest and youngest National Basketball Association players

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Jason Kidd

• Official website
• Jason Kidd at NBA.com
• ESPN Profile

Jeremy Lin

Lin in his first game for the Knicks, following a game against his former team the Golden State Warriors on December 28, 2011
No. 17 – New York Knicks
Point guard
Personal information
Born	(1988-08-23) August 23, 1988 (age 23) Los Angeles, California
Nationality	American
High school	Palo Alto HS (Palo Alto, California)
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Listed weight	200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
College	Harvard (2006–2010)
NBA Draft	2010 / Undrafted
Pro career	2010–present
Career history
2010–2011	Golden State Warriors
2010–2011	→Reno Bighorns (D-League)
2011	Dongguan Leopards (China)
2011–present	New York Knicks
2012	→Erie BayHawks (D-League)
Career highlights and awards
NBA BBVA Rising Star (2012) ABA Club Championship MVP (2011) 2× All-Ivy League First Team (2009, 2010) All-Ivy League Second Team (2008) CIF Division II champion (2006) 2× SCVAL MVP (2005, 2006)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com

Jeremy Shu-How Lin^[1] (born August 23, 1988) is an American professional basketball player with the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After receiving no athletic scholarship offers out of high school and being undrafted out of college, the 2010 Harvard University graduate reached a partially guaranteed contract deal later that year with his hometown Golden State Warriors.

Lin seldom played in his rookie season and was assigned to the NBA Development League (D-League) three times. He was waived by the Warriors and the Houston Rockets the following preseason before joining the Knicks early in the 2011–12 season. He was again assigned to the D-League and continued to play sparingly. In February 2012, he unexpectedly led a winning streak by New York while being promoted to the starting lineup, which generated a global following known as Linsanity. Lin is one of the few Asian Americans in NBA history, and the first American of Chinese or Taiwanese descent to play in the league.^[2] He is known for his public expression of the Christian faith.^[3]

Early life[link]

Lin was born in Los Angeles, and raised in a Christian family in the San Francisco Bay Area city of Palo Alto.^{[4][5][note 1]} His parents, Lin Gie-Ming and Shirley Lin, emigrated from Taiwan to the United States in the mid-1970s, first settling in Virginia, and later residing in Indiana, where they both attended universities.^[8][9][10] They are dual nationals of both Taiwan and the U.S.^[11] Lin's paternal family comes from Beidou, Changhua, in Taiwan (his father's distant ancestors immigrated to Taiwan from Zhangpu County, Fujian, in mainland China, in 1707),^[11][12][13] while his maternal grandmother immigrated to Southern Taiwan in the late 1940s from Pinghu, Zhejiang in mainland China.^[11][14][15]