As a kid growing up in New Jersey, Kyrie Irving was infatuated with Jason Kidd.
When Irving was nine years old in 2001, the Phoenix Suns traded Kidd to the New Jersey Nets. And while Kidd was leading the Nets to back-to-back trips to the NBA Finals in 2002 and ’03, little did he know at that time that he had gradually become Irving’s hero.
Fast forward 20 years later, and the hero (Kidd) is now coaching Irving with the Mavericks. What are the odds of that happening?
“I don’t think I could have ever imagined it this way,” Irving said Thursday following day two of training camp.