Jason Kidd: The Challenge Awaits

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Updated: August 7, 2013

Jason Kidd is taking this new challenge of being a first time head coach of the Brooklyn Nets just like all the other challenges he has with dealt with – head on.

Kidd spoke with Fran Blinebury of NBA.com about his new role as NBA head coach and the journey ahead of him.

This Nets team is setup to succeed and Kidd will have to manage the playing time, egos and injuries while directing this championship talented team through the normal ups and downs of the NBA schedule.

The Nets will have 20 back-to-backs this season and a tough west coast trip wrapped around the holidays to navigate through to get to the level they want – a top seed.
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Learning while playing:  “The player part of me is over, gone,” Kidd said. “That was who I was for a long time and I probably could have tried to squeeze out another year or two. But I am really ready to make this move and feel like it can work.

“I watched all the coaches I had during my playing career. I saw the work and the hours that they put into the job. I understand the sacrifices they made. I know now that I’m ready to do those things that can make the players that I have successful, and in the end to make our team successful.”

Lawrence Frank on staff:  “Lawrence is great,” Kidd said. “He has the total package. He’s been an assistant. He’s been a head coach. You look at John, he’s been around one of the best that’s done it in George Karl… so he knows what it takes to be successful… I’m trying to share the vision I have.”

Coaching is his genes:  “I was always a self-motivator,” he said. “I always motivated myself, but now you had to do it as a whole group and the one Jason Kidd at nets presserthing I did, I just managed the team. I tried to put out all the little fires in the locker room. I just tried to keep everybody as happy as you possibly can. You really can’t do it all the time, but you have to manage the team.

“It’s not as easy as it looks, to tell you the truth. I had even more respect for the coaches I had over the years. It’s a tough gig. It’s a lot of hours. It’s tough. It’s grinding. It was easier when you had the ball in your hands and he’ll find that out.

“You see things develop as a coach out there and you say: ‘How did he miss that guy wide open?’ Or you always tell your guys: ‘Push, keep pushing, set a better pick.’ You do it as a coach, but it don’t get through like it does from a teammate, like Magic or myself.”

Championship swagger:  “I think when you look at championship-caliber teams, there is always high expectation and always a lot of attention,” he said. “When the Heat were first put together, there was talk of going undefeated. They didn’t get off to a great start but they found a way and won back-to-back championships. We’re not the Miami Heat, but we feel we can compete at a high level. That said, there’s gonna be a lot of eyes on us. Hopefully we can show ourselves how to play the game the right way.”

“Obviously the talent is there,” Pierce said. “I think you’ve got all the ingredients for a championship team. It’s just how well we put the seasoning salt in and the pepper and all the little spices together, and how well it’s going to come all out.

“We’ve got the ingredients. I think that’s our job as veterans and the younger guys, to come together, understand the bigger picture and figure out how to make it work.”

Main goal in Brooklyn:  “What we’re talking about is that everybody is sacrificing, and they understand that’s what it’s all about if you want to win,” Kidd said. “If you sacrifice and do the things that it takes, you have a good chance. We have a very talented team.”

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With ball not in hand anymore, Kidd readies for next challenge – Fran Blinebury NBA.com

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