Ex-Mavericks Assistant Calls Jason Kidd the 'Worst Guy in the NBA'

Jason Kidd is no longer the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks. Masai Ujiri stepped in as the team president and alternate governor with full authority to make whatever changes he wanted by ownership.

Ujiri decided cleaning house was best, leading to Kidd "mutually parting ways" with the Mavericks a few days after taking the job, leaving the way for Dusty May to be the new coach of the Mavs.

While Kidd's antics were wearing thin on Mavericks fans, it seems like he wasn't always popular with his own staff either.

Former Mavericks assistant coach Igor Kokoskov appeared on Xs and Os Chat, a Serbain YouTube channel and sounded off on his displeasure about Kidd.

"I don't have a good experience with him, nor do I have high opinion of him off the court or as a head coach," Kokoskov said, translated.

"...After that first year in Dallas, once the season wrapped up. I got a call from Steve Nash, inviting me to join Brooklyn. I remember thinking, 'I was working for the worst guy in the NBA, and now I have a call from best guy in the NBA'"

Igor Kokoškov was not holding back when talking about Jason Kidd:

"I don't have a good experience with him, nor do I have high opinion of him off the court or as a head coach."

"After that first year in Dallas, once the season wrapped up. I got a call from Steve Nash, inviting… pic.twitter.com/urL62vtUTI
— Luka Updates (@LukaUpdates) September 14, 2026

According to Kokoskov, Kidd was never pleased with how close Kokoskov was with Luka Doncic, as he had been the head coach of the Slovenian national team for a few years.

Kokoskov was the head coach of the Phoenix Suns for a year, then went back overseas to be the head coach of the Serbian national team and Fenerbahce before becoming an assistant with the Mavericks for Kidd's first season in Dallas: 2021-22.

Maybe this was an early indicator of the friction that would come between Kidd and Doncic, who was shockingly traded in 2025, though Kidd swears he knew nothing of the deal, not that anyone believes him.

Jan 19, 2023; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Brooklyn Nets assistant coach Igor Kokoskov against the Phoenix Suns at Footprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports | USA TODAY Sports

Kokoskov also thinks Kidd stepped into generous situations with Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee and Doncic in Dallas. Kidd did play a big part in Antetokounmpo's development, but questioning him as a coach is extremely fair.

Calling him the worst guy in the NBA is quite the claim, though. Kokoskov did give Kidd a lot of praise for his tenure as a player and as one of the greatest playmakers ever, as he was an assistant coach for the LA Clippers and Detroit Pistons at the time.

Jason Kidd has a shaky off-court history, having been arrested for domestic abuse in 2001 and a DUI in 2012.

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