Brooklyn Nets Owner Mikhail Prokhorov Hired Jason Kidd For “Star Power”?
By Bryan Rose
When Jason Kidd announced his desire to become a head coach in the NBA, many laughed off the idea as another former NBA star wanting to get into the head coaching ranks. Not that Kidd couldn’t do the job or be successful at it, it’s just that most players don’t retire and immediately grab a clip board, especially players with the stature of Jason Kidd.
Laughable or not, the Brooklyn Nets and owner Mikhail D. Prokhorov didn’t find anything funny about Kidd’s request. Just days after reports leaked that Kidd wanted in, Prokhorov hired the 10-time NBA All-Star to be his head coach but the Russian born owner who appears dead set on making the Nets a global franchise may have had a unique reason for picking Kidd over other potential candidates. Star power. Star power? Star power.
Per the New York Times:
"Speaking in Russian after a news conference announcing that he would not run for mayor of Moscow in elections this fall, Prokhorov said there was a shortage of coaches with star power.“Despite all the N.B.A.’s competitive potential, they lack a little bit of star coaches,” he said. “Of course, we are very glad that now, together with our fans, we can grow up a new star and finally, naturally, win the N.B.A.”"
Yeesh. Good luck Jason, you’re going to need it.