As a member of the New Jersey Nets for more than six years, Jason Kidd gained plenty of experience with the Metropolitan-New York media. But even as the Nets made two runs to the Finals, the media circus was never quite like what Jason saw on Monday.
Jason Kidd, Carmelo Anthony and Amar’e Stoudemire pose for their first photos together at Knicks Media Day (Getty Images).
Jason opened his first season as a member of the Knicks on Monday by putting on the No. 5 jersey and participating in Media Day at the Knicks’ Training Complex in Greenburgh, New York. Jason has been through plenty of media days in his career, but told Jonah Ballow of Knicks Now that the experience never gets old because of what it represents.
"This is excitement, because it’s the kickoff of the marathon of our season. We know that once we get this underway, you know it’s on to the court," he said. "It’s a good thing. This is a lot of fun."
J-Kidd joined the Knicks this summer after spending the previous four-and-a-half seasons with the Dallas Mavericks. The stint in Dallas included an NBA championship in 2011 and a lot of great moments with great teammates.
But when he became a free agent for just the third time in his career, it gave Jason an opportunity to weigh his options and he chose to join an illustrious organization with a golden opportunity.
"When I had to the opportunity to look at the Knicks roster, I felt that they were competitive and had a opportunity to do something special. I wanted to be a part of that," he said. "You talk about the New York Knicks history, it runs deep in the NBA. It’s just an honor to be able to put on the uniform."
New York’s talented roster includes two All Stars in Amar’e Stoudemire and Carmelo Anthony, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year — Jason’s old teammate from Dallas Tyson Chandler — as well as a blend of veterans and young players that makes the Knicks one of the deepest teams in the NBA.
"We have a lot of talent in that locker room, so I’m excited," he said. "When you come to work every day with the likes of Tyson, Melo, STAT, J.R. Smith, this is going to be fun."
Though training camp only begins this week, many of the Knicks players have been in town for a few weeks, participating in workouts and pickup games organized by the veteran players on the team. Jason said that through those workouts he and his teammates find themselves well conditioned for the beginning of camp.
"The pickup games have been very competitive," he said. "You can see that we’re going in the right direction. Guys want to win. Guys are sharing the ball and we’re coming close as a team. That’s what you need to be successful."
Jason sees his role on the Knicks — and any team he’s ever played for — as a facilitator and takes pride in making the game easier for his teammates. He believes his presence and ability can help Anthony and Stoudemire be successful on both sides of the court. He told Knicks Now that with players that talented, the game is easier for the team as a unit.
"That’s what I’m here to do is try to make the game easy for my teammates," he said. "Those guys who can score, they know they’re going to get the ball at some point and they have to do the hard part and that’s put the ball in the basket. We have guys, when you look up and down the roster, who know how to score."
But the Knicks don’t want to be know as a one-dimensional high-scoring team. They want to base their success off defense. When J-Kidd arrived in Dallas for his second stint five years ago, the Mavs were known as a high-octane offense that loved to score but played little defense. But through hard work, the team started to take pride in it’s defense and that led to a championship run in 2010-2011.
"We also have guys who know how to play defense and pass the ball, so we have a very good chance to be successful. It all relies on our defense," Jason said. "The biggest thing is trust. Things aren’t always going to go your way, you’re not going to make every shot. When things get a little tough then we have to come together and we have to trust each other. That’s what I learned in Dallas when we went on that run. We were all invested in each other."
The Knicks must make that same investment in order to rise the top of the NBA, where teams like the Miami Heat and Oklahoma City Thunder currently rule the roost. Jason knows the stakes are high in New York, where the fans are passionate and anxious to see the team raise a championship banner for the first time in 40 years. He believes the pieces are in place and is thrilled at the opportunity to put it all together in front of an adoring fanbase.
"Here in New York they love their teams and they’re very knowledgeable fans here so I’m looking forward to the experience," he said. "I’m looking forward to the challenge of winning. That’s something that hasn’t happened here for a long time. Hopefully we have the guys that are ready for that journey to win."
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