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NBA Draft: Each team’s greatest draft pick of all-time

By Daniel Lubofsky

MIAMI - NOVEMBER 12: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat and LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers take a breather on November 12, 2009 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
MIAMI - NOVEMBER 12: Dwyane Wade #3 of the Miami Heat and LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers take a breather on November 12, 2009 at American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2009 NBAE (Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Greatest draft pick in Dallas Mavericks history: Jason Kidd

Jason Kidd’s career with the Dallas Mavericks is both fruitful and complicated. He started off his career with the team as the No. 2 overall pick in the 1994 Draft and a co-Rookie of the Year. It was in year three, though, where the Mavericks would ditch their prized youngsters in exchange for Michael Finley, Sam Cassell and A.C. Green.

The move was puzzling given Kidd’s early production, having already made the All-Star team in just his second season. By the time he returned to Dallas mid-way through the 2007-08 season, he looked every bit the point guard prodigy many begged him as coming out of the University of California. He finished second in MVP voting in 2001-02 and led his New Jersey Nets to two unlikely runs to the NBA Finals.

The Mavericks, on the other hand, were a mess. Led by Dirk Nowitzki, they’d experienced two of the worst postseason losses in league history. A 2-0 series lead was blown to the Miami Heat in the 2006 Finals while the eighth-seeded Golden State Warriors took them out in the first round the following playoffs.

Dallas was good, just not good enough. The team needed more, a high IQ point guard who could run the offense take the pressure off a heavily burdened Nowitzki. That’s where Kidd’s floor general skills and passing came into play, no more so than in 2011.

Everything the 10-time All-Star brought to the table was on full display during that improbable run to the title. He averaged 7.3 assists per game and spaced the floor beautifully at 37.4 percent from beyond the arc.

It didn’t matter Kidd stood at just 6’4”, he guarded everyone from Kobe Bryant to Kevin Durant to LeBron James. Dallas’ defense played on a string, allowing Kidd to play aggressively on his way to 1.9 steals a night.

Dirk was the driving force and Finals MVP behind the only championship in franchise history. It was Kidd’s presence, however, that put helped put the Mavs over the top after years of postseason failures. The title brought his career full circle as a true legend of the game and one of its best point guards for a team he never should’ve left in the first place.

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