Damian Lillard Wants Ex-Cal Star Jason Kidd to Be Next Blazers Coach

Soon after the Portland Trail Blazers were eliminated from the playoffs, head coach Terry Stotts parted ways with the team. Blazers star Damian Lillard immediately revealed the person he thinks should be the next Portland head coach.

"Jason Kidd is the guy I want,” Lillard told Yahoo Sports on Friday night.

Portland Trail Blazers superstar Damian Lillard tells @YahooSports his preference to be the next head coach of the franchise is Jason Kidd: “[He’s] the guy I want.” https://t.co/xzeI7lf3vn
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) June 5, 2021

The 48-year-old Kidd, who was an All-America point guard as a Cal sophomore in 1994, is currently an assistant coach with the Los Angeles Lakers. But he has been an NBA head coach for the Nets and the Bucks and became the first coach in history to lead two franchises to the playoffs in his first two years with the team.

Lillard and Kidd are both from Oakland, Calif., and they have had a relationship for years. These days star players can have a significant say on who becomes a team's head coach, and sources told Yahoo that Lillard, 30, intends to exert his influence in the coaching search as he longs for an NBA title.

---The Oregonian's John Canzano wrote a column about Lillard's preference for Kidd, and the part agent Aaron Goodwin plays.---

Lakers officials have complimented Kidd's contributions to their team, and Lillard has a great deal of respect for Kidd's basketball intelligence and communication skills.

ESPN reported that longtime NBA coach Jeff Van Gundy, Brooklyn Nets assistant Mike D’Antoni, Michigan head coach Juwan Howard and Los Angeles Clippers assistant Chauncey Billups will be considered for the job.

The Athletic reported that Lillard has a good relationship with Billups, but his preference is Kidd.

Kidd led Cal to the NCAA tournament in both his years at Cal. As a freshman, he helped the Bears upset two-time defending champion Duke in the second round of the 1993 NCAA tournament, but his last game at Cal was a first-round loss to Wisconsin-Green Bay in the 1994 NCAA tournament,

As a pro, Kidd was a 10-time all-star and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Cover photo of Jason Kidd by Nelson Chenault, USA TODAY Sports

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