Already one of the biggest names not only in the NBA but youth basketball with Jason Kidd Select, Jason Kidd has begun to put an imprint on the baseball world with the Kidd name.
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer began Jason Kidd Select Baseball earlier this year and the organization is already bringing in and helping to develop some of the best young players in the sport, forcing organizations across the nation to take notice.
USA Baseball recently published an article spotlighting Kidd and the Jason Kidd Foundation.
“We’re very happy to jump into baseball,” Jason told USA Baseball. “Being able to help our youth not just with their skill set, but being able to talk about leadership, discipline and respect [is important].”
Kidd Select was established in 2021 with an initial focus on training and women’s basketball development and has quickly become a powerhouse in girls hoops. So when Jason got some exposure to the youth baseball world with his son Chance playing for some of the top travel teams in the nation over the last few years, he saw a need for an organization for a similar mindset.
He pitched the idea of expanding into youth baseball to some friends, and decided to bring in JK Select 15U coach Mike Phelps to help turn his vision into a reality. As stated in the USA Baseball article, Kidd chose Phelps because he wanted to do it “with the right people”.
While other programs put an emphasis on winning above all else, Jason believes that mentality is a little backwards in a way that puts undue pressure on the players.
“We’re not looking to win championships,” he said. “We’re learning to develop and put these young men in the right position to be successful.”
Jason and Kidd Select Baseball aren’t chasing championships and glory instantly. He has expressed that what he truly wants to focus on early on is growth, learning, and putting young men in positions to succeed both on and off the field.
That emphasis on development, Jason believes, will undoubtedly breed success, win games, and ultimately championships, while still putting the players and helping them reach their goals above all else. If that means helping them reach college baseball or MLB, great. But in the minds of Jason and those he has brought in to help run the organization, it could be a lot of other things.
Ultimately, the goal of Kidd Select is make an impact on youth athletes across the country, no matter the sport.
“We want to develop the next leaders of our country. Someone could be a president. Someone could be a lawyer. And someone might make it to the Show,” he said. “So hopefully we can play a part in that.”