30 Greatest Dallas Mavericks players in franchise history

6. Jason Kidd

The Mavs had the worst record in the NBA in 1994, but they slipped to second in the draft lottery. They desperately needed a point guard and playmaker, and luckily the future Hall of Famer was waiting at two. Kidd immediately took over as the team’s starter, and he shared Rookie of the Year honors with Grant Hill in 1995.

J-Kidd was even better in year two. He averaged 16.6 points, 9.7 assists, 6.8 rebounds, and 2.2 steals as he made his first of ten All-Star appearances. Kidd was quickly becoming a superstar, but the Mavericks could not keep him.

It was a messy breakup for both sides just 24 games into his third NBA season. The trade with Phoenix brought back Michael Finley, but he could not match Kidd’s play over the next decade.

The 6’4 point guard found his way back to Dallas in 2008. He was 34 years old but still had an All-Star season left in the tank. The future Hall of Famer was a key distributor and defender on the Mavericks 2011 championship squad.

He spent parts of eight seasons with the franchise in total, and he ranks in the top five in assists, steals, and 3-pointers made in team history. Jason Kidd was part of the NBA’s 75th-anniversary team, and fans cannot tell his story without his stints with the Dallas Mavericks, including now his third as the team’s head coach.