Photo by Jeff Hanisch, USA Today
Cal Basketball: Three Former Bears Honored on ESPN's All-NBA Team Rosters
Three former Cal players landed on the list of all-time starting fives for NBA teams, as chosen by ESPN.com, and Jason Kidd was given consideration for inclusion with three different franchises.
Kidd earned a spot on the all-time Brooklyn Nets' team and was mentioned in discussion but left off the final picks for both the Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns.
Kevin Johnson landed a spot on the all-time Suns' starting five and Shareef Abdur-Rahim was chosen on the Memphis Grizzlies' team, although the franchise was located in Vancouver, Canada when he played them.
Kidd, who led Cal to the 1993 Sweet 16 and was a consensus All-American as a sophomore in 1994, began his NBA career with the Mavericks and played 2 1/2 seasons in Dallas. He was co-NBA Rookie of the Year and averaged 16.6 points, 6.8 rebounds and 9.7 assists in his second season.
He spent the next 4 1/2 seasons in Phoenix, where he twice led the NBA in assists. But the Suns were flush with point guards, including Johnson and future two-time MVP Steve Nash.
So Kidd was moved to the Nets (who played in New Jersey at the time), and spent 7 1/2 years there. He led the NBA in assists three more times and in 2002-03 had his highest-scoring season, averaging 18.7 points.
Kidd was a four-time All-Star while playing for New Jersey and also helped the Nets to back-to-back appearances in the NBA Finals in 2002 and '03.
He returned to Dallas midway through the 2007-08 campaign and in 2011 helped Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks win their only NBA title. But ESPN's all-time Dallas starting five is absent Kidd, choosing instead Derek Harper, Jason Terry, Rolando Blackman, Mark Aguirre and Nowitzki.
While Kidd was bypassed on the Suns' five-man list, popular former Golden Bears' guard KJ was included.
Johnson played 10-plus seasons for Phoenix, including a four-year stretch from 1989 through '92 where he averaged at least 19.7 points and 10.1 assists. He was a three-time NBA All-Star selection.
Johnson finished his 13-year NBA career averaging 17.9 points and 9.1 assists, then was voted mayor in his hometown of Sacramento.
Abdur-Rahim was named Pac-10 Player of the Year as a freshman in 1996 and had no reason to remain in college. He was drafted by the Grizzlies, and averaged 18.7 points as a rookie.
He averaged at least 20 points in each of his next four seasons before spending time with the Atlanta Hawks, Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings.
Abdur-Rahim played on the 2000 U.S. Olympic team (with Kidd) and currently serves as president of the NBA's G League.
Here are the full stories on ESPN's choices for the all-time starting five for Western Conference teams and Eastern Conference teams.
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