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LeBron James’ bittersweet response to Jason Kidd taking Mavs head coaching position

Published by

Brad Sullivan

June 25, 2021 2:41 pm

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.

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.

Brad Sullivan

Brad is a freelance writer for LakersDaily.com, who can clearly recall watching Lakers games in 1972 as they captured the first of their 11 Los Angeles-based titles. The franchise's evolution into a beloved and iconic franchise among its fan base since that memorable year allows for a wider perspective to be a part of his writing about the team's current fortunes.