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Sports
Jul. 23, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

TEAM USA'S ENGINE: Kidd still has youthful energy

U.S. point guard's level of play belies his age

By STEVE CARP
REVIEW-JOURNAL
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Team USA point guard Jason Kidd, addressing the media after practice Tuesday, is pursuing his second Olympic gold medal.
Photos by Jason Bean/Review-Journal



Team USA point guard Jason Kidd makes a pass during practice Tuesday at Valley High School. The 35-year-old Kidd will play a key role in the U.S. team's bid for the gold medal at the Beijing Games.

Nobody on Team USA is going to tell Jason Kidd to act his age. Especially when he's having so much fun playing basketball -- and playing at such a high level.

This is the 35-year-old Kidd's last hurrah playing for his country. He already has a gold medal from the 2000 Olympics, and he fully expects to earn a second gold next month when the 2008 Games get under way in Beijing.

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    • "As long as I can play at a high level and give something to the team, I want to be out there," he said Tuesday after Team USA's training camp session at Valley High School. "It's always a great honor to represent your country, and it's always a thrill to play with guys this talented."

    Kidd is the elder statesman of the Americans. He also happens to be the starting point guard, and his teammates love playing alongside him.

    "Of course they do, because they want the ball," Kidd said with a laugh. "And they're going to get it."

    Kidd's pass-first, shoot-second philosophy makes sense, given there are so many weapons on this team. He can find Kobe Bryant on the wing, get it up the floor in transition to LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony, or feed Dwight Howard in the post. With that kind of talent, why would Kidd want to shoot?

    Last year, Kidd averaged just 1.8 points as Team USA earned an Olympic berth by winning the FIBA Americas championship. But he also averaged a team-leading 4.6 assists while playing just 22 minutes per game. His limited court time allowed him to remain fresh, and he came out of the competition feeling good physically.

    "As long as I could get up and down and help these young guys with my experience, I was coming back," Kidd said. "I felt great at the end (of the tournament)."

    Team USA coach Mike Krzyzewski said he plans to use Kidd in the same fashion next month in Beijing.

    "I think it's important we retain the continuity we built last summer," Krzyzewski said. "Obviously, Jason's an important part of that. He's the one who gets us going."

    Kidd said he might be tempted to shoot a little more because he knows teams probably will leave him open to concentrate on Bryant, Anthony and James.

    "Maybe I'll lead the team in scoring," he said jokingly. "But I may need to look for my shot more because I think teams are going to forget about me shooting and try and stop me from passing."

    Kidd is old, but he's not the oldest U.S. Olympian going to Beijing. Swimmer Dara Torres is 41, and Kidd remembers watching her compete in 2000 when both were in Sydney, Australia.

    "She represents the older group, the older bracket," Kidd said. "I'm in that older bracket. I'm thrilled for her story. I think it's great. Not just for her. But it shows if you put your mind to it and work hard, it all pays off."

    • NOTES -- James suffered a slightly sprained right foot during Tuesday's scrimmage with the USA Basketball Select Team when he landed on Kevin Durant's foot. James will be re-evaluated today but is expected to play in Friday's exhibition against Canada at the Thomas & Mack Center. ... Kevin Love's Achilles' tendon continued to give him problems, and he was sent home to rest. Love was on the Select roster.

    Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913.



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    watitiws wrote on July 24, 2008 05:23 AM: Kidd is a great player and I believe that the USA team will probably get the Gold Medal in Beijing... God Bless U.S.A Team!!!


    shaun wrote on July 24, 2008 02:25 AM: You better have plenty of shooters on the court with him. Cause he can't shoot a lick.


    alfogens wrote on July 24, 2008 02:09 AM: Jason Kidd's is vital to the Olympic Gold Quest of the US Basketball Team. Big time players like Koby, Lebron, Carmelo & Dwight need seasoned and unselfish ball passer like JKidd for them to make the best they can do, SHOOT! Bring Home the Gold JKidd!!!


    chow wrote on July 23, 2008 10:48 PM: JASON KIDD is the Best Player in the US national team because since he played in the US NATIONAL TEAM he never lost 1 game so to all people critize JKIDD you must know first the stats..so im very sure he will take home and make his record perfect again and make it 40-0 or 50-0 in all US National team games! ALSO HE IS 3RD AMONG THE ALL TIME TRIPLE DOUBLE so why CP3 is the main man he can't even rebound up to 10! JKIDD's record and stats says it all..!


    Shane wrote on July 23, 2008 03:49 PM: It's good Kidd is on the team, he is the perfect guard to distribute to the players around him, and he represents the country pretty well.


    quddus hunt wrote on July 23, 2008 02:35 PM: Jason Kidd is the most important men in the U.S. Team. He is giving the ball around and he 's letting other players to score. He has so much experinces that anyone would like to have him in his team!!!!


    quddus hunt wrote on July 23, 2008 02:34 PM: jason kidd is a great player and he will give dallas a championship


    Cazzy wrote on July 23, 2008 12:04 PM: Who cares about "Team USA"?? They are just a bunch of millionaire punks on vacation in China. They lost to powerful Puerto Rico last Olympics, wonder which other powerhouse out there awaits them this year. LOL


    Nick wrote on July 23, 2008 11:09 AM: Get rid off kidd, he sucks. Look what he did to dallas, Chris Paul should be the main point guard.


    aaron wrote on July 23, 2008 09:36 AM: Yeah, he's great and all, but he's useless in International play. He has no jump shot, and will be a detriment against all those zones defenses.
    Once again, it will be the zone offense that kills the USA.


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