Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Jason Kidd Announces Move During NBA Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ayomide Adeduyite | Last updated Jan 15, 2026 10:38 AM ET

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd’s tenure in Dallas has been a blend of notable highs and lows. After leading the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2024, Kidd’s team has struggled to find consistency the past two seasons amid injuries, lineup changes and uneven play.

The current campaign, his fifth as head coach, has been particularly challenging. The Mavericks hold a 15-26 record, placing them 12th in the Western Conference with a mounting injury list.

Point guard Kyrie Irving remains sidelined while recovering from an ACL tear he suffered last season, while forward Anthony Davis also has been unavailable due to a left hand injury, further thinning an already strained rotation. Matters got worse on Wednesday when rookie sensation Cooper Flagg suffered an ankle sprain during Dallas’ 118-109 loss to the Denver Nuggets.

Dallas Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd.Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Amid the turbulence of the NBA season, Kidd announced some positive news away from the court. He revealed the launch of JK Select Baseball, a nationwide youth baseball initiative under the umbrella of the Jason Kidd Foundation. The program marks an expansion of Kidd’s longstanding commitment to youth sports development beyond basketball.

“Watching the young ladies play basketball, I started wondering if I should participate in youth baseball,” Kidd told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. “I started talking to my wife and others who were in the baseball world. I thought if I could help in women’s youth basketball, I can help in youth baseball. This conversation started getting traction.”

Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, who grew up in the Bay Area loving baseball and remains an avid fan, now launching youth baseball initiative https://t.co/ecR9gWLtl9
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 15, 2026

The JK Select Baseball program is designed to provide young athletes with access to high-level baseball instruction while emphasizing mentorship and personal development. Kidd has emphasized that the initiative is about more than athletics, aiming to support participants whether they pursue sports or other career paths.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, former NBA champion and 10-time All-Star hopes the baseball program builds on the success of JK Select Girls Basketball, which has produced more than 45 NCAA Division I athletes, reinforcing the foundation’s track record of creating opportunities at the grassroots level.

As Kidd continues to make meaningful moves off the court, he and the Mavericks will look to regroup when Dallas hosts the Utah Jazz at 8:30 p.m. ET Thursday in the first half of a back-to-back set between the two teams.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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