Jason Kidd Retires After 19 Years in the NBA
Jason Kidd may be spending even more time at his Hamptons home soon. The legendary New York Knicks point guard and Water Mill resident announced his retirement from the NBA on Monday and concluded an epic 19-year basketball career, which began with Rookie of the Year status in 1995.
A 10-time All-Star, Kidd went on to win an NBA championship, two Olympic gold medals and finishes his career second only to Utah Jazz and Dallas Mavericks player John Stockton for both steals (2,684) and assists (12,091). Kidd, 40, has had a difficult time during this year’s playoffs and his retirement comes at the cost of $6 million and two more years of play on the contract he signed with the Knicks in the summer of 2012. During just short of two decades in the NBA, he played with Dallas, Pheonix, New Jersey and New York.
“My time in professional basketball has been an incredible journey, but one that must come to an end after 19 years,” Kidd said in a statement released by Knicks management. “As I reflect on my time with the four teams I represented in the NBA, I look back fondly at every season and thank each every one of my teammates and coaches that joined me on the court.”
Kidd, 6 feet 4 inches and 220 pounds, appeared in 158 postseason games, averaging 12.9 points, 7.8 assists, 6.7 rebounds and 1.91 steals and led the Dallas Mavericks, along with current Knicks All-Star center Tyson Chandler, to the 2011 NBA Championship. As a member of the New Jersey Nets, Kidd appeared in back-to-back NBA Finals in 2002 and 2003. He holds averages of 12.6 points, 8.7 assists. 6.3 rebounds and 1.93 steals on the four teams he represented. On the League’s all-time leaders lists he ranks: second in season-appearances (19), sixth in games played (1,391), third in minutes (50,111), third in three-point field goals (1,988), 50th overall in rebounds and first overall amongst guards (8,725), 71st in points scored (17,529) and third in triple-doubles (107), the Knicks shared.
“Jason’s value to the Knicks and the National Basketball Association cannot be quantified by statistics alone,” New York Knickerbockers Executive Vice President, Basketball Operations and General Manager Glen Grunwald said in his statement. “Everyone here in New York saw firsthand what a tremendous competitor he is and why Jason is considered to be one of the best point guards, and leaders, the game has ever seen.”