Knicks just announced he's retiring. I'll never forget watching him play at Cal as a young kid.

What a career and a class act. Congrats to Jason on a job well done. One of my favorite Cal alums.

Had this debate with a friend. I was calling him a top 5 point guard of all time and my non Cal friends were objecting but having a hard time coming up with 5 better. Obviously Magic, Oscar Robertson, and Steve Nash. Now I'm not a basketball history expert or anything so I throw the question out to this audience. Where does J. Kidd rank all time?

Have you read The Book of Basketball? Interesting argument in there regarding Oscar Robertson. Never was a winner.

What about Stockton?

easdog1;842127833 said:

---

Have you read The Book of Basketball? Interesting argument in there regarding Oscar Robertson. Never was a winner.

What about Stockton?

---

Without a doubt Stockton is on that list.

Jason Kidd finished 2nd in NBA history in both assists (12,091) and steals (2,684), behind John Stockton.

soefeil;842127839 said:

---

Without a doubt Stockton is on that list.

Jason Kidd finished 2nd in NBA history in both assists (12,091) and steals (2,684), behind John Stockton.

---

Though Kidd finished with 8,725 rebounds to Stockton's 4,051 had 450 blocks to Stockton's 315 and had only 4,003 turnovers to Stockton's 4,244.

When I wrote that I knew I was forgetting somebody - John Stockton.

So does that place J. Kidd firmly at #5?

His one weakness was his shot. How does his shooting percentage compare to other top guards?

Also as an aside: I watched Team Handball during the last Olympics. It would be cool to see J.Kidd bring his talents to Team Handball. It seems a sport he is perfectly suited for.

Kidd was a terrible shooter, but vastly improved his touch. Amazingly, he was one of the all time great 3 point shooters.

I would put Kidd top three all time as a great all around player. He was a triple double machine.

calumnus;842127851 said:

---

Though Kidd finished with 8,725 rebounds to Stockton's 4,051 had 450 blocks to Stockton's 315 and had only 4,003 turnovers to Stockton's 4,244.

---

I wasn't trying to say that Stockton was better than Kid but that Stockton's pure point guard abilities were deserving of the list.

I'm ashamed to admit this, but he's 10% of the reason I chose Cal over my other choices before his Soph season.

Gary Payton just said on The Rise Guys that Kidd belongs in The Club with Magic and The Big O because of his ability to get triple doubles.

dajo9;842127827 said:

---

Obviously Magic, Oscar Robertson, and Steve Nash.

---

I'm not sure I would have Nash in the Top 5.

My Top 5 (no order)

Magic
Oscar
Kidd
Stockton
Pistol Pete

Kidd was a great player but he was also pretty dirty. Regardless, the guy is going into the hall-of-fame.

Any chance Monty brings him onto the coaching staff?

Great run. Maybe he'll come back and finish his degree now.

ayetee11;842127870 said:

---

I'm not sure I would have Nash in the Top 5.

---

Agreed. Nash was great but is overrated. In particular his offensive skill-set is lauded while his incredible defensive shortcomings tend to be overlooked.

Quote:

---

My Top 5 (no order)

Magic
Oscar
Kidd
Stockton
Pistol Pete

---

That's a good-looking Top 5. I think I'd put Stockton above Kidd although my blue-tinted glasses like him at 3 a lot...

Another Cal grad should be on this list and it's not KJ

Another cal grad also makes the top 5 over Nash, Isaiah thomas

What an amazing run of point guards that came out of the Bay Area in the 90s: Payton, Kidd, and Nash, at least two of whom will be in the Hall of Fame.

Didn't someone once compute a measure that attributes or assigns actual point values to stats, other than points scored? As example, and not accurate, I'm sure:

1 assist = 2.1 points (some will be 3's)

3 offensive boards = 2 points

5 defensive boards = 2 points

3 steals = 2 points

With such, added to a player's total points scored, one can then get a better sense of the player's overall impact...

Only Kidd is pure Bay Area (HS/College). Payton went away to college and Nash was a Canadian prep.

tommie317;842127930 said:

---

Another cal grad also makes the top 5 over Nash, Isaiah thomas

---

I like the way you worked that in here.

Cal88;842127900 said:

---

Great run. Maybe he'll come back and finish his degree now.

---

Only three years to go!

The best point guard to play for Cal: Jason Kidd
The 2nd best point guard to play for Cal: Kevin Johnson
The best point who went to Cal but never played for Cal: Isaiah Thomas

oskirules;842128040 said:

---

The best point guard to play for Cal: Jason Kidd
The 2nd best point guard to play for Cal: Kevin Johnson
The best point who went to Cal but never played for Cal: Isaiah Thomas

---

The point guard who should have played for Cal but didn't because the coaching staff messed up: Jeremy Lin

oskirules;842128042 said:

---

The point guard who should have played for Cal but didn't because the coaching staff messed up: Jeremy Lin

---

If Ben Howland hadnt messed up, Lin wouldve gone there. Apparently UCLA was his top choice but they thought his name was Jeremy Lee.

59bear;842127961 said:

---

Only Kidd is pure Bay Area (HS/College). Payton went away to college and Nash was a Canadian prep.

---

Great point... and I've always wondered how he managed to play for 5-6 NBA teams, but the Warriors never managed to snag him. Glad he got one ring.

Jason Kidd: Probably the greatest, most acclaimed prep athlete in NorCal history (any sport).

Jason Kidd: Arguably the greatest athlete ever to play at Cal.

Jason Kidd: Very significant role in the building of Haas Pavillion.

Jason Kidd: Along with Willie Mays and Frank Gore, absolute geniuses in their respective sports.

Probably because, for much of his career, the Warriors (Woerriors?) pretty much sucked and he spent his prime years trying to hitch up with a contender.

Toso Pavilian, Cal v. Santa Clara, Jason's freshman year. Us South Bay Cal fans filled the place and the game was close until Jason took over near the end of the first half. What I don't remember is whether Steve Nash played in that game...

Cal Panda Bear;842128050 said:

---

If Ben Howland hadnt messed up, Lin wouldve gone there. Apparently UCLA was his top choice but they thought his name was Jeremy Lee.

---

There was zero chance Ben Howland was going to offer Jeremy Lin a scholarship at UCLA in 2006. He was signing 4 star players like Russell Westbrook at guard that year, not NR players.

Stanford didn't even offer him, but at least had him on an official visit.

Unlike UCLA, Cal at least offered him a walk-on spot.

hummbabybear;842128106 said:

---

Toso Pavilian, Cal v. Santa Clara, Jason's freshman year. Us South Bay Cal fans filled the place and the game was close until Jason took over near the end of the first half. What I don't remember is whether Steve Nash played in that game...

---

First half of Kidd's freshman year Campanelli kept Kidd on a leash. It was very frustrating to watch (note - you can criticize how Campanelli coached the team without endorsing Bozeman's later cheating).

oskirules;842128042 said:

---

The point guard who should have played for Cal but didn't because the coaching staff messed up: Jeremy Lin

---

Every coach in the country messed up.

NJCalFan;842127854 said:

---

His one weakness was his shot. How does his shooting percentage compare to other top guards?

Also as an aside: I watched Team Handball during the last Olympics. It would be cool to see J.Kidd bring his talents to Team Handball. It seems a sport he is perfectly suited for.

---

From Monte Poole's article:

"He was the unimpressive jump shooter who made more 3-pointers than all but two men in NBA history, the iron man who played more minutes and grabbed more rebounds than any guard in league history."

ayetee11;842127870 said:

---

I'm not sure I would have Nash in the Top 5.

My Top 5 (no order)

Magic
Oscar
Kidd
Stockton
Pistol Pete

---

My Top 5:
Magic
Oscar
Isiah Thomas
Kidd
Stockton (or Cousy)

There's a lot of love for Kidd in the comments section in this NYTimes article. A lot of Cal fans giving thanks for the memories.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/04/sports/basketball/jason-kidd-announces-retirement-from-nba.html