Jason Kidd disrespect hits new level as Mavericks' season kicks off

It was hard to believe and see for the Dallas Mavericks and their fans that the legendary Rick Carlisle, after being the head coach of the Mavericks since 2008, would not be the head coach anymore after the 2020-21 season. Since then, Jason Kidd has been the Mavericks' head coach.

Since being named head coach in 2021, the Mavericks have had solid success under Kidd in the last four seasons, earning his spot as one of the NBA's best head coaches.

Even with the success he's had in Dallas, not everyone seems to be on board with the Mavericks head coach being one of today's elite basketball minds, based on a new Bleacher Report article.

Jason Kidd is criminally underrated

Recently, Lee Escobedo of Bleacher Report wrote an article titled "2025-26 NBA Season Power Rankings for all 30 Head Coaches." Escobedo named Kidd as the 12th best head coach in the NBA.

Escobedo named flaws in Kidd's coaching, which included late-game indecision and sluggish timeouts. Escobedo also named the hands-in-pockets demeanor when momentum turns against Kidd a "stoic."

Ranked 12th on the list may be disrespectful for a head coach who has helped bring winning to the Mavericks. The Mavericks have made two Western Conference Finals and an NBA Finals with Kidd as head coach. The Mavericks made the Western Conference Finals in Kidd's first year as head coach. Not many coaches can say they guided their team to a Conference Finals in their first year in their coaching tenure with the team, but Kidd can.

He dealt with major changes that season as well, as Dallas traded Kristaps Porzingis to the Washington Wizards, and they still found a way to make a deep playoff run. Kidd always makes the most of the roster that is in front of him, and he deserves much more recognition for that.

Of the 11 coaches named better than Kidd, two names to point out are Chris Finch (Minnesota Timberwolves head coach) and J.B. Bickerstaff (Detroit Pistons head coach). Finch was ranked 10th and Bickerstaff was ranked ninth, but neither of them has ever guided their teams to an NBA Finals appearance, unlike Kidd.

Along with winning under Kidd in Dallas, he's also turned into an excellent player's coach (even though he displayed this trait earlier in his coaching career as well). Kidd is a coach who will trust and build bonds with his players, and his NBA experience at the highest level definitely helps him relate to his superstars and manage egos when needed. Luka Doncic quickly earned Kidd's trust during his Mavericks tenure. Kyrie Irving has also transformed into a better point guard with scoring and maturing under Kidd.

Kidd has also got his players to buy into his game plans defensively while simultaneously having a calm demeanor. Coaches can sometimes flip out and get hit with technical fouls and get angry after a loss or a tough call, but Kidd has been able to keep his cool even when things get rough.

This is easily one of his best traits (despite Escobedo calling him a "stoic"), as his players like that he stays calm under pressure. This makes him much more approachable, and his level-headedness allows him to thrive under pressure.

Last season may have been the toughest job for any head coach in NBA history. The Mavericks shocked the world by trading Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers. Then, Anthony Davis got injured and missed serious time after being traded to Dallas. Irving then tore his ACL in March and missed the remainder of the season.

In a season in which the Mavericks could've folded, the team still played competitively under Kidd. Even with the disastrous season the Mavericks had, the team was still one win away from qualifying to make the 2025 NBA Playoffs.

Kidd has also grown and learned from his mistakes as a head coach from previous stops. Kidd coached the Brooklyn Nets for one season and the Milwaukee Bucks for four seasons. Kidd never once had a 45-win season or better in his previous five seasons as head coach before Dallas, but he's learned how to adapt and coach better and achieve great playoff success.

Today, Kidd will be heavily relied on to develop Cooper Flagg into a top-tier player. If Kidd helped develop Doncic and Irving more, there's no doubt to believe Kidd can develop Flagg into a superstar. Flagg did record a double-double in his NBA debut, which is be a positive step in the right direction.