It’s not every day elite high school basketball players get to run drills with the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks.
But that’s what happened in North Texas when Hall of Famer and 10-time NBA All-Star Jason Kidd stepped onto the court, not for a photo opportunity, but to work with a select group of standouts.
“It’s insane,” said Trinity Boyd. “He just wanted to come and help us get more exposure and stuff. It’s crazy.”
“Yeah, he’s awesome,” added Jaeda Ramnanan. “Getting to meet him, getting to know him was really fun.”
Kidd coached, encouraged, and joked that he was outshot during the session.
“They’re very talented. They’re not scared,” Kidd said. “As you can see with their shooting, they outshot me today. And I’m not afraid or embarrassed to say that. But it was fun.”
The visit marked the launch of Jason Kidd Select South, a new program designed to develop and elevate elite female basketball players across North Texas. The initiative aims to increase exposure, build skills and help young women navigate the changing landscape of athletics.
For Kidd, the program is personal.
The former NBA champion and Olympic gold medalist said his late friend Kobe Bryant was ahead of his time in advocating for women’s sports, particularly girls’ basketball.
“When the unfortunate accident happened with Kobe and the things he was doing in youth sports, especially for women, I felt that I wanted to help and continue what he was doing,” Kidd said. “I try to pick up the torch and continue to bring a light to the game of basketball, especially for young ladies.”
Bryant became one of the sport’s most visible champions of girls’ basketball before he died in 2020, often coaching and mentoring young female players.
Kidd also emphasized the importance of preparing athletes for today’s evolving sports environment, where Name, Image and Likeness opportunities are reshaping recruiting and player development.
“When you talk about as you get older, NIL has changed the game. It’s now coming into high school. It’s in college,” Kidd said. “Our job as leaders, we’re supposed to help them navigate these new areas. And hopefully we can do that.”
The North Texas program follows the success of Kidd’s Bay Area-based girls initiative, which he said has operated for six years. Kidd said that in five years, 45 players from that program earned Division I scholarships.
“So things are going well,” Kidd said.
For the players, the experience represents more than a memorable practice.
“Dream? Probably D1 and WNBA,” Ramnanan said.
“I think maybe Texas. I like Texas right now,” Boyd said. “And I like USC.”
With Kidd’s involvement, the goal is to connect players with opportunities at the next level.
“Our job is to put them in front of people who are successful in those industries,” Kidd said.