The Dallas Mavericks’ regular season starts on Thursday, but the vibes are already high for new addition Klay Thompson. He had a slow start to the preseason but finally got going in the second quarter on Thursday night against the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring 11 points and hitting three threes. He’s confident that once Luka Doncic returns, the chemistry will be there right away, and Thompson will be able to capitalize.
Thompson was asked about his early impressions of head coach Jason Kidd following Thursday night’s game and the early returns have been promising.
“I have really enjoyed playing for Mr. Kidd,” Thompson started. “First off, I was just a huge admirer of his game growing up, especially his mixtapes, some of the best ever. The passes he threw, you still don’t see to this day. I mean, Luka (Doncic) does a good impression of it. He just seems like such a great leader. He’s able to convey his message very well when he speaks, so I have really enjoyed playing for Mr. Kidd, like I said… I’m excited to play for him for the next few seasons, obviously.”
Coach Kidd has taken some flack in the past for his deep rotations and reliance on Luka Doncic, especially after the Mavs missed the playoffs in 2023, but in two of the last three seasons, they’ve been to the Western Conference Finals and the NBA Finals.
Kidd’s on-court success speaks for itself, finishing second in NBA history in total assists, winning a championship with the Mavericks in 2011, and leading the New Jersey Nets to two Finals appearances in the early 2000s. His relatability to the players is something that has helped him have some success as a coach in Dallas.
This is only the third coach Thompson has had in the NBA, starting with Mark Jackson with the Golden State Warriors before Steve Kerr took over as their dynasty was budding. All three of his coaches have been former NBA point guards, but Jackson and Kerr didn’t have the same individual success as Kidd.
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