In just over a month, Jason Kidd will take his rightful place in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame alongside the all-time greats of the game. But there is plenty to be done before induction day, so Jason recently took a summer trip up to Springfield so a special Hall of Fame appearance in front of a crowd of adoring fans.
During his lengthy chat with the Hall of Fame’s Kyle Bellanger and Q&A with fans at the Hall’s Center Court, J-Kidd hits on a variety of topics, including his upbringing in Bay Area basketball, choosing Cal for college, leaving for the NBA, his long career in the league, finally winning a title in year 17, and making the transition to coaching. But most of all Jason reflected on walking into the place he will be enshrined in just a few weeks, and how the experience is as scary as it is surreal.
“It’s surreal, for the first time to walk into the Hall of Fame to see the best that have done it before me, and some of those are guys that I tried to, as a kid, emulate on the playground.,” Jason said. “To be mentioned, and have my face up there with theirs, is just a great honor, and a little scary, because as a kid growing up, the Hall of Fame wasn’t what I was playing for. The game of basketball was played because I loved it, and I wanted to win and would do anything to win. So to be here today, and then in a couple weeks to be back here with the Class of 2018, is just an honor.”
Watch the full chat and reflect on a life spent on basketball with J-Kidd below.