NBA: No Kidd-ing - Jason to coach Nets

Jason Kidd, a star point guard who helped the United States win two Olympic gold medals and captured an NBA title with Dallas in 2011, has been hired to coach the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets,

The move came 10 days after the 40-year-old veteran of 19 NBA seasons announced his retirement as a player.

“He has the fire in the belly we need and has achieved as a player everything the Brooklyn Nets are striving to achieve,” Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov said. “We believe he will lead us there.”

Kidd helped the Nets, then based in New Jersey, reach the NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003 as part of six playoff trips in a row. He played in 506 games for the Nets over 6.5 seasons, averaging 14.6 points, 9.1 assists and 7.2 rebounds.

“Jason is a proven winner and leader with an incredible wealth of basketball knowledge and experience,” Nets general manager Billy King said.

“This will be a natural transition for him to move into the role of head coach as he embodies the tough, smart and team-first mentality that we are trying to establish in Brooklyn.”

The Nets went 49-33 last seaon but were ousted by Chicago in the first round and interim coach P.J. Carlesimo, who took over from Avery Johnson last December and led the Nets to their first playoff berth since 2007, was dropped less than 24 hours later.

“This is a tremendous opportunity,” Kidd said. “It’s a role I have been studying for over the course of my playing days.

“Championship teams are built on being prepared, playing unselfishly and being held accountable, and that’s how I expect to coach this basketball team. I am truly excited about this next phase of my basketball career.”

Kidd, a member of US Olympic championship squads in 2000 and 2008, played for New Jersey, Phoenix and Dallas before closing out his career this past season for the New York Knicks.

Kidd had career averages of 12.6 points, 8.7 assists. 6.3 rebounds and 1.93 steals a game.

Kidd ranks second on the NBA’s all-time assist list with 12,091 and second in career steals with 2,684, third in minutes played at 50,111 and 3-point baskets at 1,988 and is the NBA’s all-time rebound leader among guards with 8,725.