Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James had mixed emotions upon hearing the news that Lakers assistant coach Jason Kidd had been named the new head coach of the Dallas Mavericks.
Damn I hate to lose JKidd man but damn I’m happy for him at the same time! Good luck Kidd!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) June 25, 2021
Kidd is replacing 61-year-old Rick Carlisle, who resigned earlier this month after 13 seasons at the helm of the Mavericks.
The 48-year-old Kidd has spent the last two seasons as an assistant with the Lakers and was part of the coaching staff that led the team to its first NBA championship in a decade.
Kidd has previous head coaching experience after serving in that role for both the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, compiling a 183-190 record.
James has been in the NBA long enough to have played against Kidd during a Hall of Fame career that came to an end in 2013. Over that span of time and in Kidd’s subsequent coaching stops, James clearly gained a deep respect for him that won’t stop him from trying to beat the Mavericks next season.
