Jason Kidd's raw frustration over Cooper Flagg's handling is laid bare, exposing the high-stakes gamble behind a coaching decision.
DALLAS - I've known Jason Kidd for 30 years, so I've seen the incredible ups and some of the unfortunate downs, too.
But one thing has always been undeniable about the NBA champion and Hall of Fame player now in charge of the Dallas Mavericks ...
What we used to call "BBIQ''? Kidd's "basketball IQ''? It is off the charts.
That's why at first blush I'm surprised at Kidd - following yet another Dallas loss, this time by a 111-107 score at Houston on Saturday night - coming across as a bit defensive when it comes to the biggest decision he might ever make as a coach ...
The care and feeding of prized teenage talent Cooper Flagg.
Kidd, at 52, has developed a habit of almost speaking in a whisper when it comes to most any issue; it's seems like a method to remind him to keep his cool even in the most tumultuous of times.
And in his postgame remarks here? Yes, he was still sort of "whispering'' ... but he whispered five cusswords in the span of just seconds, unleashing his ire when asked about "national criticism'' about Flagg’s usage, which has featured extended on-ball responsibilities and sometimes even sees him as the primary ball-handler.
Kidd's reaction to the question?
“I don’t give a (expletive) about the criticism,” Kidd said. “That’s your opinion. You guys write that (expletive). I’ve done this. I’ve played this game. I’ve played it at a very high level, and I know what the (expletive) I’m doing.
“I don’t give a (expletive) what you guys write because you guys have never played the game. I have built players, so I know what the (expletive) I’m doing. ...''
(Here you can find the video link on my X account, via our Grant Afseth - and again, a warning, it's NSFW.)
Kidd's decision to utilize Flagg - the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and already one of the league's best young players - is absolutely by design.
He is indeed, to use his word, "building'' Flagg, who just turned 19, into the player he will someday be.
So why be defensive about it? After all, it is working, right?
For Flagg and the long-term health of the Mavs, yes.
But for now?
Even though Flagg had just scored 49 points against Charlotte a couple of nights ago, and even though here he followed that up with 34 points, 12 rebounds and five assists ...
No. In one sense, it's not working. As temporary as this might be, the Mavs lost to Charlotte, 123-121. And they lost a similarly close game here. That marks a four-game skid in which every failure was close.
And they are 19-30, mired in 11th place in the West and nearing the point at which "Organic Tanking'' © is simply a must.
Add it all up, and the true sources of Kidd’s emotions are revealed.
Dallas got screwed by the officiating crew on a late no-call on Flagg’s drive with 25 seconds remaining that could have tied the game.
“I saw a foul,” Kidd said. “(Refs) Sean (Wright), Simone (Jelks) and Jason (Goldberg) were awful tonight. It’s unacceptable. ...''
A bad record. A losing streak. Crappy officiating.
That's what Kidd's NSFW rant is really about.
The good news is that Flagg himself seems to understand it all.
“Just trust,” Flagg said. “I feel like J-Kidd has a lot of trust in me and I have a lot of trust in him. We’re just building that relationship. I feel that we gotta continue to grow our bond and that’s just him having my back.”
There's that word again: "Building.''
Kidd and the Mavericks have a master plan for Flagg, and "national media'' voices don't get a vote.
“I know what the (expletive) I’m doing,” Kidd insisted in a profane whisper that I say is about so much more than it seems.