Nowadays, everyone knows Jason Kidd as the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks.
Under Kidd’s leadership, the Mavs have gotten much better and even made it to the Western Conference Finals.
But no one should ever forget that Kidd was a darn fine NBA player for years – and one incredible passer too.
Jason Kidd over 7'6 Yao Ming!
One of the greatest passes in NBA history 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/iczkTtEe7K
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) June 29, 2022
There is perhaps no better pass in his career than when he faced off against Yao Ming of the Houston Rockets, and somehow got the ball over him.
With just .4 seconds left, the Mavericks were down by one point.
The Rockets made the smart choice of having the 7-foot-6-inch Ming block Kidd for the inbound pass.
You’d think there would be no way to get the ball past Ming but that’s exactly what Kidd did as he lobbed a wild pass to Shawn Marion, who grabbed hold of it, sank the basket, and won the game for Dallas.
What a pass, what a play, what a moment.
Kidd Coaching
Leading the Mavericks isn’t Kidd’s first head coaching gig in the NBA but it stands to be his most successful.
There were many doubters questioning the selection of Kidd when he was given the job.
How could he improve the team’s defense and nurture the bench and make Luka Doncic even better?
Somehow, that is exactly what Kidd did: the defense got stronger, the bench got deeper, and Doncic had one of his best seasons yet.
This all resulted in a surprise playoff surge and an appearance in the Western Conference Finals against the eventual champions, the Golden State Warriors.
With some smart trades and moves in the offseason, Kidd might have an ever better team next season.
NEXT: Losing Jalen Brunson Will Be A Big Blow For The Mavericks