Still basking in the glow of a championship season, Jason Kidd joined a group of his Peak brethren in China earlier this month for a tour of the nation.


J-Kidd and other Peak athletes show off the latest line of Peak apparel in China (Peak Sports USA).

The trip was Jason’s fifth to China. The visit included some sightseeing with his family and fellow Peak athletes as well as press opportunities to promote his latest shoe, the Kidd III. But most of all, it was about meeting and greeting Jason’s extensive fanbase in the Asian nation.

One of Jason’s stops took him to the talk show "A Date with Lu Yu," where he sat down for a long one-on-one with Lu Yu. Filmed in Beijing, "A Date With Lu Yu" is China’s version of Oprah. Watch Jason Kidd on "A Date with Lu Yu" here.

Jason opened by talking about his visit to China.

"I’m happy to be here. This is a wonderful time, especially after winning a championship," Jason said of his visit. "I’m very honored to see my fans here in China, and here in the city of Beijing."


J-Kidd visits with Lu Yu, China’s Oprah, on her talk show "A Date with Lu Yu."

During the episode, J-Kidd met with some of his biggest fans, including a man who came across the country from Shanghai to Beijing, a 15-hour trip. No. 2 even played a little ping-pong. They also discussed Jason’s upcoming wedding with Porschla Coleman and Lu Yu gave the couple several traditional Chinese wedding gifts.

"We met in New York," Jason said of when he began dating Porschla. "We just started talking. She was working with a foundation and I thought that foundation was great. She talked about going to yoga and I had never gone to yoga, so I thought it would be a great experience. I told her I would go, so I showed up the next day and went to yoga.

"I wanted to know who she was. After the class we grabbed something to eat. She’s vegan, so she taught me about being a vegan and from that point on I fell in love with her."

The wedding, which will occur next month will be a small affair and Jason said there will be approximately 80 guests.

"I didn’t do any of the planning," he admitted. "All I do is say yes to whatever she wants."

The conversation turned personal when Lu Yu asked about J-Kidd’s relationship with his father Steve, who passed away in 1999.

"It was a great relationship. He was like my best friend and I could talk to him about anything and he would always have the answers, even if I disagreed," Jason said. "I know he was watching from above. He always told me that I was going to win. I thought it was going to be sooner, but he was right that I was going to win a championship someday. Parents are always right."

J-Kidd then talked about his relationship with his own kids.

"I’m a softy," J-Kidd said. "They know what buttons to push. They know to show a little sad face or that if I say know that dad doesn’t really mean that. If they come back around five or ten minutes later, I’ll say yes. They know me better than I know myself. I can be strict when I have to be, when they’re not doing their homework or doing well in school."

Jason also talks about how and why he keeps an even keel on the court, his love for the game, his plans after his career over.

"I love the game of basketball. It’s a great game. Everybody should try it. You don’t have to be a professional to enjoy it. It’s a kid’s game. Hopefully I can play for 20 years," he said. "

[After that] pickup games. I’ll still continue to play the game. But hopefully I can maybe become a coach or own a team. That would be my ultimate goal."

You can watch the whole 42-minute show here.

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