Hall of Fame point guard Jason Kidd first crossed paths publicly with Mike Krzyzewski as a freshman at Cal. Coach K was in the middle of what would become a dynastic run, advancing to the national championship game four times in a five-year span and winning two titles. Duke’s only early exit during that stretch was in that matchup with Kidd. He hit a wild reverse layup in the waning seconds of their second-round matchup to pull off the upset.
That fiercely competitive introduction morphed into a real friendship over the years, one that Kidd keeps by not mentioning that game.
“When I see Coach K or Grant [Hill], I tend not to bring up Duke basketball,” Kidd told SN.
There were more positive memories to choose from when I spoke to Kidd over the phone, mostly stemming from Coach K’s time coaching Kidd during the 2008 Olympic Games.
COACH K'S FINAL SEASON
Chapter 1: Ending the era
Chapter 2: Inside the greatest game
Chapter 3: Getting recruited by the legend
Chapter 4: Redeeming USA Basketball
A slew of the NBA’s brightest stars, headlined by Kobe Bryant and LeBron James, were recruited that year to try and restore the country’s shine after the USA team barely squeaked into a bronze medal in 2004. That was when Kidd and Coach K were reintroduced, and Kidd found out what the legendary coach was really like.
“The first meeting always stood out to me. You've only seen Coach K on TV and in commercials. His first meeting, he used a couple words that were surprising. I turned to LeBron. I go, ‘my man cusses?’ And he goes, ‘Oh yeah.’ I go, ‘Oh man, this is going to be fun.’”
That Olympic team was filled with big personalities, particularly Bryant and James. At 35 years old, Kidd was brought in by Coach K and Team USA Director Jerry Colangelo as the elder statesman to help negotiate those relationships.
“Someone has to be the mediator and they kind of felt like I could play that role,” Kidd said.
Kidd wasn’t alone in those responsibilities. He learned how to manage star players in his own coaching career by observing how Coach K did it on that Olympic team.
“Day One, Coach K was incredible,” Kidd said. “Our first meeting, you could tell he was going to let guys be who they are. He wasn't putting anyone in a box. He wanted to have fun. He wanted everyone to shine and he set the tone with that first meeting in Vegas. You could see from practices being competitive, and his communication to not just the two stars, but everyone on that team.”
The Redeem Team, as they were later named, cruised to a gold medal under the guidance of Coach K and Kidd, who was a team captain. With James, Bryant, Carmelo Anthony, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard, Deron Williams, and Chris Paul headlining the roster alongside Kidd, the outcome may have seemed inevitable to most. But Coach K never took any shortcuts. That’s not his style.
“When you talk about practice, you talk about film, he's unique,” Kidd recalled. “When you talk about the team for the Olympics, you would think that a coach doesn't really need to watch film because you're not going to have trouble scoring or playing defense. But he coached, and he watched film, and was prepared. “
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One of Kidd’s fondest memories came at the conclusion of the games, during the awards ceremony. Olympic coaches aren’t given a gold medal for their participation in the games. So the players took matters into their own hands.
“Guys were putting their medals on him,” Kidd recounted. “The guys understood the work that he put in. He put us in that position to win the gold medal.”
Coach K had a strong impact on Kidd, both during the Olympics and in the many years afterwards. The two still remain in contact to this day. Kidd has taken those lessons with him in coaching stops with the Nets, Bucks, and currently as the head coach of the Mavericks.
Kidd gave his thoughts on what separates Coach K from his peers.
“He shoots straight. He doesn't B.S. around. He communicates. He tells you, right then and there, what's happening. There's no guessing or wondering what he's thinking. He's not afraid to tell you the truth. And he's willing to hear you out. That's what makes him great. It doesn't have to be his way. It's about the team. And that's what makes him special. It's what leads the team to victory on and off the floor.”
Coach K has had immense success throughout his career. But when asked what the most important piece of advice that Kidd had ever received from the coach was, it was about how to deal with failure.
“Be honest. Be honest and own your mistakes,” Kidd said. “If you call the wrong play, if you had the wrong guy in, it's OK. It helps show players that we're human. We all make mistakes. But if you own them publicly, it just puts you in a different light and shows that you're human.”
Coach K’s advice has extended beyond X’s and O’s, coaching, or even the game itself. The two men have dedicated their lives to the sport, but it’s their relationship outside of the game that Kidd values the most.
“We all want to win,” Kidd said. “But I think that sometimes, you also have to remind yourself what the bigger picture is. And that's life, right? Being able to call Coach K today, text with him just to see how he's doing. It doesn't have to be long, but he's always a caring father figure and a coach figure. And I think that's what separates him.”
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Kidd has seen a lot of coaches in his life, both in his 19 seasons as a player and eight years coaching in the NBA. In his mind, there’s no doubt who the best of them is.
“He's the GOAT. And we all look up to him. As coaches, as players. He set the bar. And it's going to be hard to reach, because he is special,” Kidd said. “He's touched a lot of people. Probably people that we don't even know.”
