The 19-year veteran and sure-fire, first-ballot Hall of Famer had just retired from the Knicks after they were trounced by the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference semifinals of the 2013 NBA playoffs. Less than a month later, Kidd is being hoisted up as the face of Jay-Z’s franchise as well as its caretaker. Universally considered one of the greatest point guards he NBA has ever produced, was introduced as the new leader of the Nets with many fellow NBA stars, past and present, offering up congratulations.
Of course, there were several loud and vehement detractors of Kidd’s appointment to the Nets, most notably the son of Patrick Ewing, Pat Ewing Jr., who decried the fact that his famous father has toiled in assistant-coaching purgatory for a decade now with barely getting a whiff of interest for a head coaching position.
Actually, the opposition of this move can be summed up by fellow RO scribe Todd Williams:
Kareem Abdul Jabbar been tryna get into coaching since the 90s. Jason Kidd gettina coaching gig 20 minutes into his retirement
— Stereo Williams (@stereowilliams) June 13, 2013
Take a look at what celebrities and athletes have to say about Kidd becoming the new head coach of the Brooklyn Nets.
