Jason Kidd: Media went too far with “attacks” on Luka Doncic

NBA

From Stefan Bondy

DALLAS – Jason Kidd launched an impassioned defense of his star player, claiming the media had exaggerated the “personal attacks” on Luka Doncic.

“This is a free country. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. Sometimes we just go a little overboard. If you put yourself in the other person’s shoes, could you stand up to being grilled?” Kidd said. “Sometimes we want to grill someone, but if you did it the other way around and got grilled yourself, would you like it? Most likely not.”

“It’s just the nature of the business.

“But this young man has never done anything for anybody except play basketball. And when you ask him the question, he never ran away from it. He answered it. And he’s 25 years old. I think that’s what I’m most disappointed about: We’re at the highest level where we have one of the best players in the world who plays the game the right way, but we want to criticize some of the things he doesn’t do well. But if he does them well, we’re going to want to come back and talk to him, and then if he says, ‘No, I’m going to fold,’ what happens then?

“I think sometimes it’s just unfair or unjustified to say things like that. Nobody in this room is perfect.”

When asked about a specific critic or media representative, Kidd did not respond, but mentioned “a free agent in the media business” who was on the hunt for “a new contract, likes or clicks.”

Doncic’s defensive woes became the hottest topic on network sports broadcasts as conversations revolved around the 25-year-old’s defensive woes, his conditioning, his whining to officials and whether or not he was a superstar.

“Sports are not about being perfect. It’s just about winning,” Kidd said. “And if you look at what’s happened here in the last few days or so, if you’ve watched the Mavs, Luka has improved his defense. But we ask him, or some ask him, to be a powerful defender.”

“Well, he’s never been on an All-Defensive team, but he’s been on five All-Pro teams, the first team. That means he’s one of the five best players in the world, and he plays the game the right way to find free agents. But when you’re on the biggest stage, it’s got to be there — someone’s got to drill a hole.”

Doncic entered Game 4 on Friday trailing 3-0 and averaged nearly 30 points, nine rebounds and six assists.

He is also struggling with numerous injuries and said he was given painkillers before games.

But Game 3 was a low point.

He again had problems in defense, argued with the referees and was sent off for a foul about four minutes before the end.

The Mavericks then collapsed on the home stretch.

Kidd believed the “attacks” would only make Doncic stronger.

“LeBron, Michael, the greats, the GOATs – they all got attacked, and they came back stronger and better,” said Kidd, a Hall of Fame player.

On Thursday, a day after his Game 3 mishaps, Doncic acknowledged that he needed to take a different approach to dealing with the referees.

“I just really want to win. Sometimes I don’t show it right, but at the end of the day I really want to win,” he said. “I need to show it better in a different way.”