California Hall of Famer Jason Kidd has signed a new contract as the coach of the Dallas Mavericks.
As the Mavs prepare for the second round of their NBA playoff series against Oklahoma City, the club announced a multi-year contract extension on Monday.
The 51-year-old Kidd, the best player in California history, led Dallas to 50 regular-season wins twice in three years.
Just a few days ago, Kidd's name was linked to the Los Angeles Lakers' coaching vacancy after they fired Darvin Ham. Kidd was an assistant under coach Frank Vogel during the Lakers' 2020 championship season and has been friends with LeBron James since they were teammates at the 2008 Olympics.
“We are thrilled that Coach Kidd will continue to lead our team for years to come with this valuable contract extension,” Mavericks Governor Patrick Dumont said in a statement. “We look forward to his leadership as we continue to build and grow this already great franchise.”
Kidd has a 140-106 record in three years coaching the Mavericks.
Kidd was drafted with the second pick by Dallas, California in 1994 and played two and a half seasons with the Mavs before being traded to Phoenix. He returned to Dallas late in his career and helped Dirk Nowitzki win the NBA title in 2011.
“I've known Jason for a long time, and I can't think of a better candidate to lead this team going forward,” general manager Nico Harrison said. “As a former NBA Champion and Hall of Famer, Jason brings a wealth of experience and expertise to this role that cannot be duplicated.
“He has earned the trust and respect of not only our players, but many others across the league, and we look forward to working with him as we continue to build on the culture and foundation of success that he has cultivated throughout his tenure as head coach.” , I look forward to working with him.''
Kidd averaged 16.7 points, 6.9 rebounds, 9.1 assists and 3.1 steals and was named Pac-12 Player of the Year and All-American First Team as a sophomore at the University of California.
After 19 seasons in the NBA, Kidd remains second all-time in assists and steals, and also has 107 career triple-doubles.
