Kidd: Luka has chance to be greatest Mav ever with a title
Dallas head coach Jason Kidd said that star guard Luka Doncic has a chance to become the greatest Maverick of all time if he wins a championship this season.
"Dirk, Luka - If Luka wins a ring this year, does he have a shot at the claim (of) greatest Maverick ever?" ESPN's Malika Andrews asked Kidd on Wednesday. The 51-year-old responded: "Yes."
Kidd also said that he would be the one coming off the bench if he were part of the roster alongside Doncic and eight-time All-Star Kyrie Irving."You can't sit Luka or Kai ...
"But it's not who starts, it's who finishes. So all three of us would finish."
The Mavericks franchise has existed since the 1980-81 season but has only retired five numbers: Rolando Blackman (No. 22), Brad Davis (No. 15), Derek Harper (No. 12), and Dirk Nowitzki (No. 41). Bill Russell's No. 6 is retired across the league.
The only player to earn MVP honors with Dallas is Nowitzki (2006-07). During his 21 seasons with the only NBA team he ever played for, Nowitzki was selected to 14 All-Star Games and was named to All-NBA teams 12 times. The German national averaged 20.7 points and 7.5 rebounds while shooting 38% from deep throughout his illustrious career.
Nowitzki also led the Mavericks to their lone NBA championship in 2011. Dallas defeated the Miami Heat and their Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh in six games. Nowitzki averaged 26 points, 9.7 rebounds, and two assists per game during that series, winning Finals MVP in the process.
Only four players on the NBA's top-75 squad ever played for Dallas: Nowitzki, Steve Nash, Jason Kidd, and Dennis Rodman. Other than Nowitzki, those players had their best seasons with other organizations.
Kidd was a two-time All-Star while playing for the Mavericks. He was also the starting point guard for their title-winning squad. Kidd averaged 7.7 points, 6.3 assists, and 4.5 rebounds in the series against Miami.
Doncic, 25, has played his entire career in Dallas. The 2018-19 Rookie of the Year has made five All-Star Games and five All-NBA teams. The 6-foot-8 Slovenian averaged 33.9 points this season and won the scoring title. He finished third in MVP voting this year, losing to Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokic and runner-up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Doncic and the Mavericks will take on the NBA's No. 1 team, the Boston Celtics, for the 2024 title. The series starts Thursday in Boston.