Jason Kidd Joins ESPN's 'NBA Countdown' After Mavericks Exit

Jason Kidd is set to join ESPN as a television analyst for its pregame and halftime show, 'NBA Countdown,' ahead of the upcoming professional basketball season. The move comes after Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks mutually agreed to part ways in May, ending his five-year tenure as head coach.

Kidd will fill the analyst role vacated by Michael Malone, who left the network to take the head coaching position at the University of North Carolina. The Mavericks have since hired Dusty May, former head coach of the Michigan Wolverines, to lead the team.

Kidd's transition to broadcasting follows a coaching career that began shortly after his Hall of Fame playing career concluded in 2013. He started as the head coach of the Brooklyn Nets, becoming the first rookie head coach to win a Game 7 on the road in the playoffs. His coaching rights were subsequently traded to the Milwaukee Bucks, where he coached for three full seasons before being fired midway through the 2017-18 season.

After a stint as an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers, Kidd took the helm in Dallas for the 2021-22 campaign. During his time with the Mavericks, the team reached the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and the NBA Finals in 2024, making the playoffs twice in five seasons.

'NBA Countdown' is ESPN's primary studio show for NBA coverage.