PHOENIX \u2014 Another ex-Knick was summoned by coach David Fizdale to impart his wisdom, even if this point-guard legend spent just one season in orange and blue.<\/p>\n
Newly inducted Hall of Famer Jason Kidd appeared at the Knicks shootaround at the Talking Stick Resort Arena and spent nearly 20 minutes huddled with Knicks point guards Dennis Smith Jr. and Emmanuel Mudiay. (Frank Ntilikina is with the team but still is rehabbing from a groin strain and wasn\u2019t part of the conference, though they exchanged greetings).<\/p>\n
Fizdale, out of Los Angeles, and Kidd, an Oakland product, go back to their teenaged years when their California high schools were state rivals. Kidd\u2019s St. Joseph\u2019s beat Fizdale\u2019s school in the 1992 state finals.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a real big-time one over there,\u2019\u2019 Fizdale said, pointing to the Kidd-Smith-Mudiay summit. \u201cWe\u2019ve been friends a long time \u2013 go back to high school days. I figure we\u2019re here. Who better to talk to my point guards than one of the best and greatest ever?\u201d<\/p>\n
Fizdale said he wanted Kidd to impart \u201cbasic things about the position, responsibility of the position, how to get yourself and other guys shots. How to lead guys in moments of adversity. Anything coming from Jason to these guys is big time for us.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n
Fizdale said Kidd, living in Phoenix, is easily one of the top five point guards to ever play and expects he\u2019ll be an NBA head coach soon again<\/a>. Not only did Kidd top Fizdale in the high school championship game, but Kidd led Dallas to an upset over Fizdale\u2019s Miami Dream Team in 2011 for the NBA title. (Fizdale was a Miami assistant).<\/p>\n Kidd played for the Knicks in their last winning season, in 2012-13 when they mounted a 54-28 record. Then he retired to coach the Nets.<\/p>\n \u201cThat guy\u2019s a basketball genius,\u2019\u2019 Fizdale said. \u201cI don\u2019t see how at some point he\u2019s not running another team.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n Mudiay, a restricted free agent who still could be back if the Knicks don\u2019t net a free-agent point guard such as Kyrie Irving<\/a>, ate up the conversation.<\/p>\n It was a nice surprise birthday present for Mudiay, who grew up in Dallas and saw Kidd win the NBA title.<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone knows his history as a Hall of Famer,\u2019\u2019 said Mudiay, who turned 23 on Wednesday. \u201cI really appreciate him coming to talk to me and Dennis. It\u2019s helpful. Not going to say everything he said, but just management throughout the game.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n Mudiay remembers Kidd as a Net in his prime and as a Maverick later on in his second stint.<\/p>\n \u201cJust watching him the way he got his teammates involved and the fact he could rebound the way he rebounded at his size and pass,\u2019\u2019 Mudiay said. \u201cAnd one thing we talked about was defensively how good he was playing passing lanes.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n Asked if it means more to hear it from a legend than a coaching-staff member, Mudiay said, \u201cI would say the person that did it can tell you better how he did it more so than a coach saying \u2018this person used to do this.\u2019 It is different when he\u2019s telling you himself \u2013 not to knock the coaches \u2013 but hearing from the individual himself does help.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Jason](\"https:\/\/thenypost.files.wordpress.com\/2019\/03\/kidd.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=300)
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