Topic: Jason Kidd

Jason Frederick Kidd (born March 23, 1973) is an American professional basketball player in the NBA who plays for the Dallas Mavericks. He led the New Jersey Nets to two consecutive NBA Finals appearances (2002 and 2003). He has played the most playoff games of any active player who has not won a championship, taking his teams to the post season 14 years straight. His on-court versatility also makes him a regular triple-double threat, and he is in third place all-time for regular season triple-doubles in the NBA with a career total of 107 and second in playoffs triple-doubles with a career total of 11.

Born in San Francisco, Kidd played college basketball at the University of California, Berkeley and was drafted second overall by the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the 1994 NBA Draft. Then, from 1996 to 2001, Kidd played for the Phoenix Suns and later for the New Jersey Nets from 2001 to 2008. In the middle of the 2007-2008 season, Kidd was traded back to Dallas. Along with his two NBA Finals appearances, Kidd won two Olympic gold medals with the US national team in 2000 and 2008.

Kidd was born in San Francisco, California, the oldest of 6 children of Steve and Anne Kidd. His father, now deceased (heart attack at 61), was African-American and his mother is Irish American. He was raised in the Oakland Hills, an upper middle class section of Oakland. He attended St. Paschal Baylon school in Oakland Hills. He frequented the city courts of Oakland, where he often found himself pitted against future NBA All-Star Gary Payton. The two still reminisce about the playing days of their youth. During his youth, Kidd also excelled at soccer as well as other sports.