Q&A: Jason Kidd

Courtesy of Steve Serby

Q: What was it like being a New Jersey Net in a Knicks town?

A: It was tough because everybody loves the Knicks. They have such deep history, and for the Nets, we were trying to create our history, make our history at that time. And so, we were kinda second fiddle, but we found a way to win, and we started our history then.

Q: What are thoughts on them moving to Brooklyn?

A: I think it’s great. You think about if we were on this side of the river when we were playing with those teams, what would have happened. ... Brooklyn will be great for the Nets, and maybe at some point, a team comes back to Jersey.

Q: Are the Brooklyn Nets a threat to take over this town?

A: I don’t know if they’re a threat. You have Giant fans, you have Jet fans. You have Yankee fans, you have Met fans. You’re gonna have the same deal with the Knicks and the Nets. Maybe the younger generation are Net fans, but you have the older generation that are Knick fans. ... I think it’s a great thing.

Q:W hat have you learned about Knicks coach Mike Woodson?

A: He’s great. He really loves to teach, which I think is awesome. He understands the vets will be ready, they’re gonna get their work done. I think he’s a great coach in this league. He won 53 games I think in Atlanta and got fired. When coaches win in this league, it’s rare that they get fired.

Q: Is he a good motivator?

A: He’s a great motivator.

Q: How does he motivate?

A: Defensively, he’s always talking about putting you in the right spots and that’s what wins championships. And then I think his motivation is understanding that this is a long season. ... He came in the other day (chuckle) with his headband sideways and the one glove on his hand ’cause he was playing two-on-two and got the cut over the eye. And he said, “I’ll take anybody on.” And it was just a funny moment because he coulda just left it as, “Hey I got stitches,” but he made fun of it, and ... he’s a fighter.

Q: What kind of glove?

A: It was a boxing glove.

Q: Into the gym he took it?

A: In our meeting room. It was great.

Q: What have you learned about Carmelo Anthony?

A: Everybody talks about his scoring, but I think his IQ of the game, he understands the game, and he can pass as well as anyone.

Q: Tyson Chandler?

A: That’s my [2011 Mavericks] championship teammate. ... He comes every day to work, and nothing’s changed after him winning a championship.

A: Iman Shumpert?

A: He plays all 94 feet of the court. Will guard everybody. And is not afraid. ... He loves the moment. He wants that moment, and he’s not scared. And for a young player that’s good.

Q: Have you always been that way, wanting that moment?

A: I always want to be involved in the moment, because it doesn’t always have to be where you have to score the ball. It’s always getting the ball to your teammate in the right place so he can be successful in that moment.

Q: Raymond Felton?

A: He wants to be the best, so I think he’s gonna have a great year.

Q: How far is this team away from challenging the Heat?

A: We’ll find out soon. I think the biggest thing is we’re not here to challenge the Heat, we’re here to challenge the league. We have to make sure that we take care of ourselves first.

Q: When LeBron James’ contract is up, would you recruit him to the Knicks if you’re still playing?

A: For sure.

Q: That would be a nice way to go out if that’s your last year?

A: Wouldn’t it (laugh)? I think the Knicks would like that, too.

Q: How would you sum up your New Jersey Nets experience?

A: The prime of my career, probably the best that I was playing. It was a great experience being on the East Coast, just understanding how much they love basketball and understand the game.

Q: What was it like being in the NBA Finals and coming so close to winning a championship?

A: To be able to take the team that first year to the Finals, we had surpassed all the goals that we had set. And then getting back there a second [time] where we thought we shoulda won it, had a better chance of winning, we just came up short twice.

Q: Lowest NBA moment?

A: I don’t have any really lows. ... Unfortunate? We didn’t win that championship in Jersey. That might be the lowest.

Q: Describe what your Mavs experience was like.

A: It was everything that I thought it was supposed to be the first time around. [Owner Mark] Cuban is the best, if not one of the best owners in this league. I got to play with ... one of the greatest players to play the game in Dirk Nowitzki, and we had a magical run to win a championship.

Q: What was it like, the moment when you clinched it?

A: It was surreal, because it’s like ... there is no other team to play, there is no one else to beat. You accomplished climbing that mountain, or running that marathon and coming in first. You train for 17 years for that marathon and you’ve always come up short. Now, you’ve come in first, and so it was surreal.

Q: The first time you played at the Garden?

A: I was excited. Because you talk about the mecca, you talk about the greatest place to play. I’ve always felt comfortable there.

Q: How did you do?

A: That’s a good question (smile). I have a pretty good record there, especially when I was with the Nets (chuckle).

Q: Did you have any impressions of the building when you walked into it?

A: I just knew the history. ... The history runs deep with Walt [Frazier] and Earl The Pearl [Monroe], those teams. When I was playing as a rookie, they were always tough — Patrick [Ewing], they were a big team, physical, hard to play in the Garden.

Q: Those Pat Riley Knick teams?

A: They would wear you down, ’cause they believed keeping a body [on you] ... making sure that if you did go to the basket, you were gonna get hit.

Q: Did John Starks talk a little trash back in those days?

A: Starks probably talked a little bit (smile).

Q: Do you?

A: I don’t. That’s too much energy to be wasted (chuckle).

Q: Even as a younger guy?

A: I left that to the guys like Gary Payton, the guys that I learned how to play from. Those guys do all the talking.

Q: What do you remember about Starks as a player?

A: Starks was a guy that could play above the rim, and he could definitely get it going behind the arc. But I thought he was a guy that played both ends. You find in this league those are the special players.

Q: Are you worried about the risk of being blinded by Clyde’s wardrobe?

A: I’ve seen it a little bit so far. ... I think it’s cool. I think it’s ... it’s him. That’s who he is. That’s the best way to put it (smile).

Q: How would you describe his wardrobe?

A: I wouldn’t say quiet. ... I guess it takes time to put that together.

Q: What else do you know about the Knicks’ tradition?

A: When you talk about franchises throughout the country in different sports — Cowboys or Raiders, Pittsburgh Steelers — you have franchises that you go anywhere in the country and there are fans, and the Knicks are one of those flag franchises that you go anywhere in the country, you’re gonna have Knick fans there.

Q: Describe your on-court temperament.

A: I would say it’s calm, it’s patience, it’s observant ... even keel. ... Whatever is needed at that time.

Q: How would you explain your longevity?

A: Lucky. ... I’ve been blessed to be able to play with some great players. And I think the hardest part for me was probably to adapt as I’ve gotten older to doing different things and trying to do them well. I came in this league and people said I couldn’t shoot. And hopefully I can leave this league saying, or they could say that he can shoot.

Q: How difficult is it to change your game as you get older?

A: It’s tough because of ego. You feel probably mentally you can jump, or do the things that you did at 25. But physically your body won’t move. If you can accept it, your better off.

Q: You’ve been able to change your game.

A: I have. I’ve been very lucky to not be stubborn.

Q: You’ll be 40 in March. Are you physically able to play 20 minutes a night, let’s say?

A: Oh, I can play 30. I feel great.

Q: Do you run mountains?

A: No, some beach work. I love the beach ’cause it’s easier on the joints. But this summer, I really paid attention of trying to get stronger. I just watch what you eat, and try to enjoy the swimming pool as much as possible. You can get some stuff down even with the kids in the pool.

Q: How long do you want to play?

A: I’m gonna try to play my contract out. So I have a three-year deal, let’s see what happens.

Q: You see yourself as a closer?

A: I like that. When you’re young, you want to play 48 minutes. When you understand the game a little bit better, you want to play 40 minutes. And then when you really get to the point of understanding the game, you just want to play the last six minutes of the fourth quarter, ’cause that’s where the game is won and lost.

Q: You feel like you’re dangerous in those moments.

A: I do. I feel that I understand what teams are trying to accomplish, what our opponent’s trying to do. I understand who we’re trying to get the ball to. And just being able to be prepared to knock down shots. Because that’s what the six minutes is all about, getting stops and making shots.

Q: What interactions have you had with Spike Lee as an opponent?

A: “Take it easy on us. ... Slow down. ... This isn’t right (laugh).”

Q: When did he say “This isn’t right”?

A: That was when we swept ’em when I was with the Nets.

Q: Favorite coach?

A: I’ve always said my first coach was my favorite — Dick Motta. I’ve always loved him explaining the game to me, his story-telling. ... But Danny Ainge was great. ... [Rick] Carlisle was great.

Q: Describe the Sydney and Beijing gold medal Olympic experiences.

A: Sydney was great. It was a great group of guys. Beijing was just the ultimate. Playing with LeBron and Kobe [Bryant] and those guys was as good as it gets.

Q: Was that sweeter than the first one?

A: No, the first one will always be the sweetest. Anytime you can represent your country, it’s an honor, and to be able to do it twice, that first one will always be the best one.

Q: Three dinner guests?

A: Bill Clinton, Martin Luther King, Bill Russell.

Q: Why Bill Russell?

A: Just to talk about what he went through, not just on the court but off the court in Boston, and just to be able to win and concentrate at a high level and always play for his team ... and what drove him to be so successful in the sense of winning not just five championships but, I think, one for every finger. What drove him to want to be the best.

Q: Ever talk to him?

A: My godfather was Jim Hadnot, who was really good friends with Bill, and so I’ve been very blessed to have two autographs jerseys from Bill.

Q: When you say “what he went through,” what do you mean?

A: I just think the time, being African-American, just being a celebrity — that word wasn’t used then, but he was a celebrity — and how he was looked upon by his teammates or by his community.

Q: Describe the first time you met boyhood idol Magic Johnson.

A: The first time I met Magic was probably in college, when they were playing at UCLA during the summer, I would go up there and play.

Q: What was that like for you?

A: A lot of nerves ... butterflies. I think if I did guard [him], he’d probably just score a lot ’cause I just was in awe.

Q: Biggest childhood influence?

A: A combination of my parents and my high school coach [Frank LaPorte]. As a freshman playing me on the varsity, and having me play point guard, he saw that I could be a point guard where most of the time at 6-4, you would be a forward or [center].

Q: Your dad?

A: He went to every game as a child, and high school and college, he would fly and meet me on the road and he was always at home so he was at the games. And then my rookie season, he flew around, being able to work for the airlines, he got to meet me in different cities, which was great.

Q: How did you propose to wife Porschia?

A: On her birthday, in Miami, I got on both knees, and asked her would she marry me?

Q: Give me a scouting report on her.

A: Sweet, beautiful. ... She’s a wonderful mother. ... She’s my best friend. ... She is the disciplinarian in the house (chuckle).

Q: You have how many kids with her?

A: Two.

Q: The older one is ...

A: [Chance] He’ll be 3 in January, and then Noah, she’s five months.

Q: You have three kids with Joumana.

A: T.J. is 14, the twin girls are 11.

Q: Is T.J. a basketball fan?

A: T.J.’s a basketball fan, we’re trying to get him to play basketball. He works extremely hard on his game, we just now gotta get him on the team.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: “Gladiator.”

Q: Favorite actor?

A: Robert De Niro.

Q: Favorite actress?

A: Julia Roberts.

Q: Favorite entertainer?

A: Jay-Z.

Q: Favorite meal?

A: Anything Italian.

Q: Favorite NYC restaurant?

A: Il Mulino.

Q: Hobbies?

A: Golf. I got [my handicap] down to a 5.

Q: Garden of Dreams event earlier this month for the Children’s Aid Society with the Rockettes?

A: It was a lot of fun, and I think it’s a great cause.

Q: What do you want to tell Knick fans about the DUI?

A: It was a mistake, and it’s an ongoing process right now. It happened, and it’s in the past, and it was a mistake that took place.

Q: What was the low point of that moment emotionally for you?

A: It was a mistake, and any mistake that you make, I don’t look at it as a low point, it’s just a lesson learned. No one’s perfect, and it’s something that you can only grow from.

Q: What would you want or hope Knicks fans will say about you when they watch you play?

A: That he plays hard, and that he understands the game. He’s a winner.