Jason Kidd As Brooklyn Nets Coach Sparks Mixed NBA Reactions
Jason Kidd, the 40-year-old NBA point guard who recently retired from the New York Knicks was officially named as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets and the NBA community is reacting.
Kidd was officially announced as the Nets' newest head coach on Wednesday. The point guard spent over six seasons playing for the team during his tenure in the league and even won consecutive finals with the franchise in 2002 and 2003.
After hearing about the news, a number of people in and around the NBA began to express their feelings about Kidd's three-year deal with the Nets. Metta World Peace, the Los Angeles Lakers forward, believes Kidd has what it takes to bring the Nets to the NBA finals.
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"Wow. Jason kids going to finals next year. He is going to be a complete coach," Peace tweeted after hearing the news. "He should coach in a nets uniform. So he can sub in."
Iman Shumpert, a New York Knicks guard who played with Kidd this past season also took to Twitter to react to the news.
"And congrats to one of my fav players ever @RealJasonKidd on his head coaching job," Shumpert tweeted. "#iLoveThisGame and everything he did for it."
Kevin Durant, an Oklahoma City Thunder forward, also took to Twitter to congratulate Kidd on his recent job.
"Congrats to Jason Kidd on his new head coaching job...hes a great leader that is going to do unbelievable things in Brooklyn," Durant tweeted.
However, everybody did not react positively to the news that Kidd was going to be an NBA head coach just one week after retiring from the league.
Patrick Ewing, a Hall-Of-Fame NBA Player who was recently named the associate head coach of the Charlotte Bobcats, admitted he was shocked by the news.
"I was very surprised they gave it to him so early," Ewing said on The Dan Patrick radio show recently. "I wish him well and nothing but success. … I was very shocked."
However, Ewing's son was a bit more than shocked at the news, he took to Twitter to express his disappointment in Kidd being hired as a head coach so soon after leaving the NBA.
"For real though I'm mad J Kidd got a head coaching job a year after retiring n my pops been coaching 10 years n barely gets a look. Not even just my dad though there are more qualified coaches out there, (SIC)" Patrick Ewing Jr. tweeted. "Im not mad at J Kidd or hating that he got the job. I'm happy for him. I like him. I just dont get y other qualified coaches get overlooked."
Kidd understood the magnitude of his position and recently spoke about what his new position meant to him.
"This is a tremendous opportunity to be named head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, and it's a role I have been studying for over the course of my playing days," Kidd said, according to ESPN.com. "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."
