Long before Jason Kidd built a reputation as one of the best passers in the NBA’s 80-year history, he sat right behind home plate as a catcher during his middle school years at St. Paschal’s in Oakland, Calif.
Most know Kidd for his storied basketball career, but the Dallas Mavericks coach developed an early love for baseball, America’s pastime.
Kidd is using that passion to create a new initiative designed to help mold the next generation of baseball players. He and his foundation announced Thursday the launch of JK Select Baseball, a nationwide youth baseball program that will provide access to high-level development, mentorship and competitive opportunities for young athletes across the country.
Five years ago, Kidd used the knowledge he gained from his successful basketball journey and founded the JK Select girls basketball program, which has grown significantly since its inception in 2021. He had a goal of using sports to empower and create equality for young women, while preparing them for college, and most importantly, the challenges life will throw at them.
Mavericks
In a recent interview with The Dallas Morning News, Kidd said he was inspired to do the same with baseball.
“Baseball has been part of my life since I was a kid,” Kidd told The News. “I love the competition. I love watching it. We believe the women’s program has set the foundation for us, and that we believe, given opportunity, mentorship, structure and a good experience, we believe we can do that with baseball.”
Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd listens to a question from Dallas Morning News Mavericks beat writer Mike Curtis in his office at American Airlines Center, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer
Under the leadership of a trio of program directors, Tate Caraway, Brandon Chancellor and Mike Phelps, the JK Select baseball program will be based in Dallas and will launch with a three-tier model. There will be foundation-supported national teams for elite players ages 15 and under to 17 and under. There will also be regional teams based in Dallas and managed by JK Select, as well as a licensed franchise pathway for organizations serving athletes ages 7 and under to 18 and under.
Since Kidd’s primary responsibility is coaching the Mavericks, he’ll defer most of the program’s day-to-day duties to Caraway, Chancellor and Phelps.
“I’m very lucky to have these three be able to build JK Select,” said Kidd, adding that he also hopes to create youth programs for volleyball and softball.
The initiative will be funded by the Jason Kidd Foundation, which Kidd supports through direct financial contributions and his time, leadership and resources. The foundation is also supported by sponsors and partners who share a commitment to expanding access, opportunity and youth development through sports and education.
More than 150 teams nationwide have already engaged and the program has long-term plans to expand to 1,000 teams in states with key baseball markets. Kidd praised Texas for being one of the most competitive states in the country.
“It’s very competitive,” Kidd said. “ When you talk about Florida, Georgia, Texas, and California and Arizona, those are the states that everyone talks about of being very competitive. We’re not gonna shy away from the competition in Texas.”
Kidd said he hopes parents can also benefit from the program as they guide their children through the new-age landscape of name, image and likeness in collegiate athletics, which allows athletes to profit from sponsorship deals with local and national companies.
“That’s something I never had to deal with,” Kidd said. “A lot of people are skipping over the degree or the scholarship because they’re more worried about NIL. So how can we help balance the two of understanding what’s important? Education is very important. Money will come if you do the right thing, but if you tend to put the wrong thing first, sometimes there’s not always success behind that.”
Kidd’s latest endeavor arrives on the success of his girls basketball program, an elite group of Bay Area basketball teams that enters its sixth year. JK Select girls basketball has produced over 45 NCAA Division I athletes, including Texas sophomore guard Jordan Lee. It also has four winners of the Gatorade Players of the Year award in California and several international medalists.
It’s a proven model for how elite coaching, structure and access drive long-term athlete success.
“In five years, that’s pretty impressive,” said Kidd, who also hinted at expanding his girls basketball program to Texas. “Also, we’ve traveled the world for JK Select, for the young ladies, Greece, Spain, Hong Kong. And also, we’ve had a training camp in Hawaii. Man, they got it good.”
Dallas will serve as a hub for foundation-managed teams and early program development. The program emphasizes skill development, education, mentorship and exposure, which Kidd says is one of the most beneficial parts of the initiative.
Kidd grew up a fan of his hometown Oakland A’s. Shortly after he was hired to coach the Mavericks in 2021, he attended a Texas Rangers game and threw out the first pitch. He has framed photos of the moment, along with the baseball enclosed in a glass case, displayed on a shelf inside his office at American Airlines Center.
Various baseball related memorabilia is seen on a shelf in Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd’s office at American Airlines Center, Monday, Jan. 12, 2026, in Dallas.
Elías Valverde II / Staff Photographer
One of Kidd’s favorite baseball players was Ken Griffey Jr. It’s probably fair to assume his new favorite player shares the same last name as he does. Chance Kidd, the 15-year-old son to Jason and his wife Porschla, is a rising prospect entering Prestonwood Christian Academy who plays catcher and third-base. Chance, who was recently invited to Team USA Baseball’s Dream Series, will also participate with JK Select baseball.
“It’s his path, his journey,” Kidd said. “I think it’s cool, but this isn’t about Chance. This is about the next kid that we can help make their dream come true. And that’s being a professional or being successful in life.”
That’s Kidd’s goal for JK Select Baseball: to help every athlete involved with the program, regardless of their background, reach the next level in whatever they’re striving to achieve.
And after throwing over 12,000 dimes on the court, Kidd’s latest assist is to the baseball community — with volleyball and softball in the works for future youth programs.