Erik Spoelstra and Frank Vogel, two burgeoning coaches in the NBA ranks, have worked their fingers to the bone to get where they are today. Spoelstra leading the Miami Heat and Vogel running the show with the Indiana Pacers, neither were ever handed the job, they worked for it. This isn’t the case for Jason Kidd, who has reportedly been anointed as the new head coach of the New Jersey Nets. Kidd, who spent last season playing for the New York Knicks, recently retired and mentioned his liken for the possibilities of being an NBA coach.
Little did Kidd know that his hiatus from the game would only last a couple of weeks. With coaches such as George Karl, Lionel Hollins, and Brian Shaw on the market, it’s quite appalling to see a 2013 playoff team hiring a coach who is fresh off of the court. Karl and Hollins have vast experiences running an NBA team, both led their squads to the playoffs in 2013, while Hollins had the Memphis Grizzlies one round away from the NBA finals. Shaw has never been tabbed as the head coach but has spent time as an assistant for the Los Angeles Lakers and Indiana Pacers.
Courtesy: CBS Sports/US Presswire
The Nets general manager, Billie King, wanted to hire a candidate that the fans would rally around and support. However, the ‘sexy’ pick isn’t always the best pick. Kidd’s ability to carve defenses was astonishing to watch but that doesn’t mean it will translate in the coaching ranks. There is something flat out wrong hiring a head coach without experience; factoring in his ability as a player should not be considered, playing and coaching are two separate monsters. Both are extremely difficult but not interchangeable.
Michael Jordan, the best to ever play the game has fallen hard as the owner and head of basketball operations for the maligned Charlotte Bobcats. Other stars who have failed their hand in the coaching ranks include: Ted Williams, Bart Starr, and Wayne Gretzky. The strong spot for Kidd is the position he perfected during his playing days. The point guard’s responsibility is to be the coach on the floor, the offense runs through you and it’s up to the point guard to run a crisp offense.
Mark Jackson, also a point guard, spent time as an analyst before taking the keys to the Golden State Warriors. A basketball-savy guard out of Brooklyn, Jackson retired in 2004, but hit the analyst circuit proving his knowledge of the game. Working for YES Network, ESPN and ABC, Jackson became a fan favorite as he worked alongside former coach Jeff Van Gundy. In his second year as coach, Jackson led the Warriors to a playoff berth and has the Warriors on the up.
There’s a lot going against Kidd but he will inhabit a team with Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Joe Johnson…and Mikhail Prokhorov, Kidd’s new boss, is not comfortable with losing and will spend the necessary means to bring a winner to Brooklyn. When all is said-and-done, Kidd will experience many highs and lows. He’ll receive cheers and jeers, but his playing background will create a smoother transition that a new face to the NBA would succumb to.
As a player, he had the ball in his hands, he ran the offense. But, when the Nets are down two with only seconds left will Kidd be able to draw up the play to create an open basket? Will his players respect him? The sure first ballot Hall of Famer will face a new-fangled challenge and the critics will be circling to see how the new head coach welcomes the adversity. When proven coaches were on the market, Prokhorov looked elsewhere and shocked the NBA community.
A multi-billionaire from his days in the business world, Prokhorov didn’t make the conventional pick and therefore, has created a buzz for his club that it hasn’t seen since was running the Nets offense into back-to-back NBA Finals. But, will the buzz result in a winning culture in New Jersey?
