Al you heard in the early 90s was the next Magic Johnson was in the East Bay...Oakland, California playing in Alameda, California St. Joseph Notre Dame High School. The Consensus #2 Player in the land in 1992 behind former Arkansas All-American and Russellville, Arkansas Power Forward Corliss Williamson. The Legend was building by his Sophomore Year nationally but already built at the beginning of hid Freshman Season in the Bay. The Bay had already laid claim to B-Shaw (current Pacers Associate Head Coach), J.R. "Easy" Rider, Gary "the Glove" Payton as Kidd was the next-in-line to carry what some of the best guards in the country had started. At some 6'4" and around 215 el bees not only was Kidd a "Passing Magician" but he was a One-Man Fast Break. Athletic, excellent court-vision, rangy, saw the game ten plays ahead (only like the great ones do), and a "Off the Charts" IQ. Everyone in the land wanted him as he took his talents to local Cal Berkeley where he joined the likes of Alfred Grigsby, Jerod Haase ( who later transferred to Kansas and is current UNC Tar Heel Assistant Coach) and Lamond Murray and Coach Todd Bozeman (currently Head Coach at Morgan State). Kidd dominated from the jump and it was his Make-Up of size, IQ, and over basketball feel that made him a man among boys in Major College Basketball.
After two years of Cal Berkeley Basketball Kidd was drafted #2 in the 1994 draft sandwiched in between Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson of Gary, Indiana Roosevelt HS and Grant Hill of Reston, Virginia South Lakes HS. Ironically enough Hill and Kidd shared the NBA Rookie of the Year in the 1994-95 season cal it quits within 48 hours of each other. Hill called it quits on NBA on TNT's Inside before Game Six between the Heat and Pacers.
Kidd only trails the great NBA HOF PG John Stockton in Steals (Thefts) and Assists (Helpers). The most intriguing stat will be that Kidd will leaves the Logo in the #3 slot only behind Sugar Ray Allen and Reggie Miller in Made Money Balls. That is a feat for a Kid who couldn't shoot a 1- footer coming out. That also is a credit to J-Kidd's Work Ethic and his ability to impact a game with no outside shot what so ever.The Bluedude will say this I am closing in on mid 40s and J-Kidd is a Top 5 Point of All-Time. Even better than that he and Grant Hill should be inducted at the same ceremony in August 2018 as 1st Ballot Hall of Famers.
Congrats top J-Kidd on a Great Career and Oakland Finest will get another one in Springfield, Mass... The "Glove" Gary Payton enters the Hall in August 2013 as he was 1st ballot.
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