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Cal Basketball

Jason Kidd Voted Into Naismith Hall of Fame

March 31, 2018
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SAN ANTONIO, Texas –Golden Bear great Jason Kidd is among the newest members of the the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, revealed Saturday at the men's Final Four.

Kidd, who enjoyed a stellar 19-year career as a basketball player in the NBA, joins Steve Nash, Ray Allen, Grant Hill, Maurice Cheeks, Tina Thompson, Charles "Lefty" Driesell, Charlie Scott, Rick Welts, Katie Smith, Ora Mae Washington, Dino Radja and Rod Thorn in the 2018 class.

The Bay Area basketball product was the second pick in the 1994 NBA Draft, selected by the Dallas Mavericks, and quickly worked his way to 1994-95 NBA Rookie of the Year honors. Across his nearly two-decade career, Kidd amassed 12,091 assists (8.7 apg) and 2,684 steals (1.93 spg) and still ranks second among the NBA’s all-time leaders in both categories. Kidd also currently ranks third for triple-doubles (107) and ninth for three-point field goals (1,988) all-time.

A 10-time NBA All-Star, Kidd’s dazzling array of accolades includes five All-NBA first team selections and 10 All-Defensive team honors. He won an NBA Championship with the Mavericks in the 2010-11 season, plus two gold medals with the U.S. Olympic team in 2000 and 2008.

Following his retirement, he served as head coach of the Brooklyn Nets from 2013-14 and of the Milwaukee Bucks from 2014-18, leading his teams to the playoffs three times in four seasons.

Prior to his time in the NBA, Kidd enjoyed a standout two-year career for the Bears, propelling the squad to back-to-back NCAA Tournament berths in 1993 and 1994. As a freshman at Cal in 1992-93, Kidd recorded a school-record 110 steals to lead the nation, guiding the Bears to the NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 for the first time in 33 years. Kidd helped the Bears beat LSU and defending champion Duke on his way to being named the National Freshman of the Year. As a sophomore, he posted a single-season school record of 272 assists, and his 204 career steals over those two seasons remain the most in program history. He was named the 1994 Pac-10 Player of the Year and a first team Associated Press All-America honor. Kidd declared for the NBA Draft following his sophomore season at Cal.

Even following his departure from Berkeley, Kidd has maintained his ties to the Golden Bears. Last year, Kidd headlined a 10-member class inducted into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame, and in November 2016 he officially endowedThe Jason Kidd Scholarship for men's basketball.

His No. 5 jersey was retired by the Bears in 2004, the same year he was inducted into the Pac-12 Hall of Honor.

Discussion from...

Jason Kidd Voted Into Naismith Hall of Fame

56,269 Views | 4 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by StillABear1
puget sound cal fan
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Jason Kidd is justly deserving of his Naismith HOF induction.
concordtom
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Any other bears in the hall of fame?
6164bear
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Pete Newell
StillABear1
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Rick Welts ?

How many long time NBA executives, with no basketball playing, coaching or GM experience, have been elected into the Naismith HOF. Seems really watered down.

Congrats to a deserving Jason Kidd however.
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