The 75 greatest NBA players of the 2000s, ranked
By Cal Durrett
10) Jason Kidd
NBA legend and current coach of the Dallas Mavericks, Jason Kidd, was one of the best point guards of his era, if not the best. From 1999–00 and 2008–09, Kidd averaged an impressive 14.0 points, 9.2 assists, and 7.0 rebounds in 760 games as a member of the Phoenix Suns, New Jersey Nets, and Dallas Mavericks.
During the 02-03 and 03-04 seasons, Kidd led the Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals, something that only a select few players on this list can say. Of course, the Nets ran into two different dynasties. They were swept by the Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant Los Angeles Lakers en route to their last of three straight NBA titles. Kidd and company fared better against the San Antonio Spurs but were overwhelmed by a dominant Tim Duncan.
That was the beginning of an impressive run for Kidd and the Nets. They made the playoffs for a total of six straight seasons, including a third trip to the Eastern Conference Finals and two trips to the East Semi-finals, all in the 2000s. The Nets definitely benefited from an incredibly weak Eastern Conference, but Kidd's stellar playmaking and defense helped change the culture, giving them their longest stretch of success since the ABA.