Jason Kidd

In the wake of his strong performance as a college sophomore, Kidd declared himself eligible for the 1994 NBA draft. The hapless Dallas Mavericks, a lackluster team for much of its history, were looking for a strong point guard prospect and selected Kidd second overall in the draft. It proved an inspired choice for the Mavericks, as Kidd, working with Jamal Mashburn at forward and Jimmy Jackson at shooting guard, quickly turned around the team's fortunes. However, an injury sidelining Jackson for the second half of the season put an end to the team's hopes for a playoff berth. For his first season in the NBA, Kidd averaged 11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 7.7 assists and was named NBA Rookie of the Year.

Kidd came back even stronger for his second season with the Mavs, averaging 16.6 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 9.7 assists per game. But he also began to earn a reputation as a disruptive influence, refusing to speak to teammate Jimmy Jackson for six weeks after the two had an argument. Kidd also feuded with new Mavericks coach Jim Cleamons. He played only the first twenty-two games of the 1996-1997 season with Dallas before being traded to the Phoenix Suns. It was Kidd's inability to get along with new Mavericks coach Jim Cleamons that triggered the decision by Dallas management to trade Kidd to the Phoenix Suns. When the team's new owners fired former coach Dick Motta and replaced him with Cleamons, Kidd complained that he should have been consulted about the coaching change. Not long after Cleamons arrived in Dallas, he and Kidd had an argument, following which Kidd refused to speak to the coach for two months.

An injury in his very first game with the Suns sidelined him for the next twenty-one games, but he came back strong in the final thirty-two games of the season to lead Phoenix into the playoffs, where the team lost to the Seattle Supersonics. Averaging 11.6 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 9.1 assists per game, Kidd helped the Suns to reach the playoffs once again in 1997-1998.