Where did Jason Kidd play college basketball? Looking at the NCAA career of the Mavericks' coach
While his team is locked in an intense battle with the Minnesota Timberwolves in the Western Conference Finals, Jason Kidd has a chance at history. In his third year with the Dallas Mavericks, Kidd has a chance to become just the 10th coach that won an NBA title as a player.
With an incredible NBA career behind him, which included an NBA title, multiple trips to the NBA Finals, six All-NBA and nine All-Defensive selections, as well as finishing in the top 10 for most assists all-time, Jason earned his spot on the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team.
But with his incredible success, both as a player and coach, fans began wondering: Where did Jason Kidd play college basketball?
Today, we take a deep dive into Kidd and the collegiate career that paved the way for his incredible professional career.
Where did Jason Kidd play college basketball?
After an incredible high school career, where he became a national highlight for St. Joseph Notre Dame High School and earned a spot on the 35 greatest McDonald's All-Americans team, Kidd made his way to the University of California after heavy recruitment from the likes of Arizona, Kentucky, and Ohio State, among others.
For the Golden Bears, Kidd was instantly impactful, tallying 13 ppg, along with 7.7 assists. His triple-doubles, which became a highlight as he progressed in his career, were visible from the outset with his averages of 4.9 rpg, as well as his incredible defense, which led him to 3.8 steals per game in his first season.
Earning Freshman of the Year as well as All-Pac-10 honors, Jason set the NCAA record for most steals by a freshman, and the school record for most steals overall with 110, while also breaking the California assists record with 220.
Thanks to his incredible year, the Golden Bears found themselves with a spot in the NCAA Tournament, an unlikely scenario given their history. In March Madness, they continued their special run, upsetting the 2nd-seeded Duke Blue Devils en route to a Sweet 16 appearance.
In his second year, Kidd's numbers improved across the board, as he tallied 16.7 ppg with 6.9 rebounds while adding over 9 assists and 3 steals a night. He broke his previous year's assists record with 272, a stat in which he led the entire country.
Earning a first-team All-American nod as the first sophomore ever, he once again led California to an NCAA Tournament, but unfortunately lost to Wisconsin-Green Bay in a major upset. Eventually, his #5 was retired to the rafters by the Golden Bears.