Lakers head coach Byron Scott coached Jason Kidd in the early 2000’s when Kidd was a member of the New Jersey Nets. The tandem went to the NBA finals where they lost to the Lakers. In 2004 Scott was fired from the Nets, allegedly because Kidd went to management about Scott’s coaching style – Scott was known as a coach who went hard in the paint on his players.
On Wednesday Scott and Kidd faced off—as coaches—in the Bucks-Lakers game, before the game, Scott was asked about his former time with Kidd. Scott was pretty clear he wasn’t Kidd’s biggest fan via the Orange County Register:
“He was kind of known as an a$$hole,” Scott said.
Kidd was reportedly at the middle of his firing in 2004, with the Associated Press reporting that Kidd had gone to management to demand a change on the bench.
Asked if that story was accurate, Scott said he was unsure.
“That’s all I’ve heard,” Scott said. “Now, did he actually go talk to Rod Thorn and all those guys? I don’t know. I never got that story. I always said, though, where there’s smoke there fire.
“I’m in a much better place and I’m sure he’s happy where he is, too.”
Kidd’s Bucks beat the Lakers in overtime on Wednesday, 113-105.
