Byron Scott says Jason Kidd is known to be an ‘A-Hole’
Ex-Nets Coach Lashes Out At His Former Player
On Tuesday, prior to a Wednesday game between Byron Scott’s Lakers and Jason Kidd’s Bucks, Scott took the opportunity to slam his former star point guard.
“He was kind of known as an a–hole,” Scott said of Kidd.
There is certainly no love lost between the two (as if that quote wasn’t proof enough). Scott was Kidd’s coach with the then- New Jersey Nets from 2001-2004, as the team went to two straight NBA Finals. (Albeit in an Eastern Conference just as weak as the current version). The success did not lead to job security for Scott, however, as when the Nets stumbled out of the gate in 2004, he was fired after 42 games.
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At the time, it was rumored that Kidd went to the Nets’ front office and demanded that they remove Scott as the head coach. Scott commented on those rumors Tuesday, as well.
“That’s all I’ve heard,” he told The Orange County Register. “Now, did he actually go talk to Rod Thorn and all those guys? I don’t know. I never got that story. I always said, though, where there’s smoke there fire.
“I’m in a much better place and I’m sure he’s happy where he is, too.”
Scott did describe his relationship with Kidd now as “cordial,” adding, “that’s as good as it’s gonna get.”
The next day, Scott attempted to backtrack a bit from his comments on Kidd, saying that Kidd was “just a player” for the Nets and was not in the position to fire anyone.
Scott added that the media was “bored” and was turning this into a circus, although he did not mention why one would call a fellow coach an “a-hole” to the media if one did not want the media to do stories on the comment.
Scott is far from the only coach Kidd had with the Nets, with whom Kidd now has a rocky relationship. One imagines Lawrence Frank, Scott’s successor with the Nets, would have some choice words for Kidd after being demoted from his job as top assistant for the Nets last season.
After the season, Kidd jumped ship to the Bucks after an unsuccessful power play with the Nets, and now has Milwaukee in surprising playoff contention after their league-worst record last year. Scott’s Lakers, meanwhile, are 13-36, second-to-last place in the Western Conference, and just lost Kobe Bryant for the season.
When the verbal sparring was over and the actual basketball game was played, Kidd’s team was victorious, 113-105.
(H/T Pro Basketball Talk)