In the end, Jason Kidd insists he got what he always wanted.
In a matter of days, Kidd went from much maligned rookie coach of the Brooklyn Nets to head man in Milwaukee, where he will have the distinction of serving as former Duke star Jabari Parker’s first NBA coach.
“Over the past couple days, I’ve been asked: ‘Why Milwaukee?’ My answer is simple: there is no place I’d rather be,” Kidd wrote in a letter to Bucks’ fans distributed via the team’s Twitter page. “Over my twenty years in the NBA as a player and a coach, I have always been impressed with the level of support that Bucks fans have given this team, in good times and bad.”
The 41-year-old Kidd lands in Milwaukee after essentially being run out of Brooklyn amid a failed power play where he sought to gain final say in team player personnel decisions. After being rebuffed, Kidd was given permission to speak with other teams about possible opportunities and soon found himself heading for Milwaukee.
“With a talented roster, new owners that are passionate about being successful in Milwaukee, and a great fan base, we have the makings of something special here and I’m proud to be leading this new era of Bucks basketball” Kidd added in his letter.
The Bucks inked Kidd to a three-year, $15 million deal and the Nets have since tabbed veteran signal-caller Lionel Hollins as his replacement.
The 15-67 Bucks finished last season with the league’s worst record, but the addition of Kidd and Parker is already generating buzz among the franchise’s fan base.
“From the moment that Marc Lasry and Wes Edens purchased this franchise, they have clearly and repeatedly stated their singular focus — to return championship-caliber basketball to Wisconsin,” Kidd added the team’s co-owners. “I am humbled by the trust they have put in me and the opportunity they have given me to turn that dream into reality.”
