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According to reports from NBA insider Marc Stein and The Athletic, Jason Kidd is in advanced discussions with ESPN to join the network's NBA studio coverage. The former Dallas Mavericks head coach is expected to take on the role of former NBA head coach on ESPN's pregame and halftime show, NBA Countdown, a position that was previously occupied by Michael Malone.
Malone departed ESPN in April to take over the head coaching job for college basketball at the University of North Carolina. Kidd's potential addition to the ESPN team comes nearly five months after he and the Mavericks mutually agreed to part ways on May 19. He was officially fired in May after five seasons at the helm, just two weeks after Masai Ujiri was hired as the team's president of basketball operations.
Kidd's Coaching and Playing Legacy in Dallas
Kidd's tenure with the Mavericks was marked by both highs and lows. He coached the team for five seasons after previously spending eight seasons as a player for the franchise. During his playing days, Kidd was instrumental in leading Dallas to its only NBA championship in 2011. He returned to the organization a decade later to become the team's 10th head coach.
Over his coaching stint, Kidd compiled a regular-season record of 205-205. Before joining the Mavericks, he served as head coach for the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, and also spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was hired by Dallas in 2021 alongside former general manager Nico Harrison.
Kidd was involved in several pivotal moments during his time with the Mavericks, including the blockbuster Luka Doncic trade in February 2025 and the drafting of Cooper Flagg a few months later. In his first season as head coach, he guided the team to the conference finals, the franchise's deepest playoff run since its 2011 championship. The following season, Dallas missed the playoffs, but then made a surprising run to the NBA Finals in 2024. However, the team failed to make the postseason in each of Kidd's final two seasons.
As Kidd nears a deal with ESPN, he would bring a wealth of experience as both a player and coach to the network's NBA coverage.
Originally reported by yahoo.