During his playing career, Mark Jackson provided a path for point guards who were known more for their ability to facilitate scoring for other than their own ability to score. It was a path that Jason Kidd followed to become of the best point guards ever to play the game.

Upon his retirement, Jackson spent several years in television. But in 2011 he made another career move that would light a path for Jason, when he took over as head coach of the Golden State Warriors. On Wednesday, the two met as coaches for the first time. Prior to the game, Jason remarked on Jackson’s impact on his own career choice.

“Mark is my role model,” Coach Kidd said. “He’s gone from playing to becoming a head coach and to becoming a very good head coach. I am happy for his success and he has given us guys who have retired from playing an opportunity to do something and that is hopefully become a coach like him.”

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Jackson became head coach of the Warriors without any prior coaching experience and in his first season— the lockout shortened 2012 season — the team struggled to a 23-43 record.

But Jackson worked hard to hone his craft and last year, in his second season, the Warriors more than doubled their win total from the previous season, made the playoffs as the sixth seed. They went on to defeat the Denver Nuggets 4 games to 2 in the first round before falling to the Spurs in six games in the conference semifinals.

This season, Jackson has the Warriors playing even better. Golden State a 10-game winning streak going into Wednesday’s night game in Brooklyn and even after they were defeated by Coach Kidd’s Nets, Golden State sits sixth in the West with a record of 23-14. Jackson told reporters prior the 102-98 Nets win that his success is proof there is no right way to break into the coaching ranks and that success depends on the man.

“I truly believe that Jason Kidd did not have to be an assistant coach to become a head coach,” Jackson said. “I watched him run teams. I played against him as he orchestrated teams. I’ve got a lot of respect for him.”

Asked if he had any advice for Jason, Jackson referenced Motown songstress Gladys Knight and her group The Pips in comparison to a NBA head coach’s relationship with his coaching staff.

“Everybody has to know who’s in charge. And that’s the head coach. He’s the guy calling the shots. I have never seen any one of The Pips try to lead. That’s Gladys’ role. Let Gladys be Gladys,” Jackson quipped. “There’s no difference of opinions with my staff and I. They give suggestions, some I go with, some I don’t. But at the end of the day, it is my decision and we are united in whichever way we decide to go.”

Kidd noted that Jackson told him to simply “keep working, stay positive and things will turn around.” The Golden State coach is not only proof it can happen, but he also believes that Jason will be able to find his coaching stride in Brooklyn.

“The guy is a Hall of Fame basketball player, he is an all-time great,” Jackson said. “And he is going to be a heck of a basketball coach.”

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