Jason Kidd has been a part of this Nets organization as a player, just recently a coach and owner – and soon his name will be hanging upon the rafters among the greatest Nets of all-time.
This honor is well deserved, Kidd solidified himself as one of the greatest point guards ever in his playing days – beyond his stat-sheet stuffing in New Jersey. Kidd went on to make huge impacts past his prime in Dallas, winning a championship, and just last year in New York.
Career-wise, Kidd’s numbers are astounding. 17529 total points, 8725 total rebounds and 12,091 total dimes – numbers matched by not a single other soul in the history of the NBA. Kidd is second all-time in career steals and assists, third in three-point field goals made, and first from 1986 on in career triple-doubles.
Kidd’s career averages with the Nets were 15 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists and just short of 2 steals a night. Kidd helped lead the Nets – then in New Jersey – to the NBA Finals in back to back seasons, 2002 and 2003. He could very well be the greatest New Jersey Net of all-time, a distinguished honor making his jersey retirement more of a remembrance than a validation.
There is one odd distinction about Kidd’s jersey retirement compared to his peers’ though – it’ll be before a preseason game. The Nets announced his jersey will be hung from the rafters on October 17th – a preseason home match against the Miami Heat.
This oddity stunned many at first, until things were made clear. It seems inevitable at the moment now that Jason Kidd will be suspended for the first portion of the 2013-2014 NBA season, because of his DUI a year ago. Kidd plead guilty to the charge just this past July, after initially pleading non-guilty immediately after the occurrence. Many experts believe the NBA will suspend him for at least a couple of games for his transgressions.
Marcus Dupont, a sophomore here at Stony Brook University, agreed with the Nets’ choice to retire Kidd’s jersey during the preseason. “Better to save it (for the preseason) for the sake of his image.” A Nets fan himself, fellow sophomore Mike Siconolfi was “kind of disappointed” after hearing about Kidd’s jersey retirement being staged before an exhibition game. When explained why, Siconolfi understood, saying “it makes it more valid.”
My question is this: What’s the rush? It’s an 82-game season, and Kidd will likely be suspended for 2-4 games. Why not retire his number during an actual game – just after the suspension? Seems like common sense applies here pretty easily – but alas the date is set, and even in the midst of a sleep-inducing pre-season match, the cementing of KIdd’s legacy will be a moment to remember for both Nets and basketball fans.
