Saying it was the right time, New York Knicks point guard Jason Kidd has decided to hang up his jersey after 19 NBA seasons.

"When you think about 19 years, it has been a heckuva ride. Physically, I want to be able to participate in activities with my kids so it has taken a toll," the 40-year-old Kidd told ESPN.com.

"It is time to move on and think about maybe coaching or doing some broadcasting," added Kidd, who made the decision to retire while attending a wedding in Georgia together with his agent Jeff Schwartz.

"This weekend was when we got a chance to relax and really think about it. It is the right thing to do," Kidd said.

Kidd leaves the game as a shoo-in for the Hall of Fame and a point guard known for his passing and rebounding ability. The 10-time All-Star led the NBA in assists five times and finished second all-time in assists and steals behind John Stockton.

Kidd, who had two years remaining on his contract at just more than $3 million per year, leaves the game with an NBA championship with the Dallas Mavericks and two Olympic gold medals with Team USA.

Kidd also won co-Rookie of the Year with Grant Hill, who also announced his retirement this season.

"The two things that are probably tied for first are winning a championship with the Mavericks and also being able to win a gold medal -- two gold medals with Team USA," Kidd said. "And then underneath that will probably be sharing Rookie of the Year with Grant Hill."

Kidd averaged 12.6 points, 8.7 assists, 6.3 rebounds and 1.9 steals in 1,391 regular-season games. He also had more triple-doubles (107) than anyone outside of Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson.

Dallas picked Kidd as the second overall pick out of California and played with the Mavs for two and a half seasons before he was traded to the Phoenix Suns.

After being traded to New Jersey in 2001, Kidd transformed the Nets into instant contenders. With Kidd playing at an MVP level, the Nets won 52 games -- a 26-game leap from the season before.

After losing to Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan in back-to-back NBA Finals, Kidd finally got his coveted championship ring as a Maverick. Teaming up with Dirk Nowitzki, Kidd defeated LeBron James and the Heat in six games in 2010-11.

In his 19th season, Kidd signed with the Knicks and helped them win 54 games, an 18-game improvement from the season before. It was the franchise's first 50-win season since 1999-2000.

Jason Kidd was born on March 23, 1973, in San Francisco, California. Kidd is widely regarded as one of the greatest point guards in NBA history.

Kidd was known for his exceptional court vision, passing ability, and basketball IQ. He was a ten-time NBA All-Star, a nine-time All-NBA Team selection, and a five-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection. He won two Olympic gold medals as a member of the USA Basketball team.

Jason Kidd was particularly successful during his time with the New Jersey Nets, leading the team to two consecutive NBA Finals appearances in 2002 and 2003. However, he didn't secure an NBA championship until later in his career when he joined the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. Kidd played a crucial role in helping the Mavericks win the NBA championship that year.

After retiring as a player, Kidd transitioned to coaching.

Jason Kidd Career Statistics

Points Per Game: 12.6

Assists Per Game: 8.7

Rebounds Per Game: 6.3

Steals Per Game: 1.9

Blocks Per Game: 0.3

Field Goal Percentage: 40.0%

Three-Point Percentage: 34.9%

Free Throw Percentage: 78.5%

Here are Jason Kidd's NBA statistics by season over the course of his illustrious career:

Dallas Mavericks (1994–1996):

    1994-1995: 11.7 PPG, 7.7 APG, 5.4 RPG, 1.9 SPG

    1995-1996: 16.6 PPG, 9.7 APG, 6.8 RPG, 2.2 SPG

Phoenix Suns (1996–2001):

    1996-1997: 16.9 PPG, 9.7 APG, 6.8 RPG, 2.3 SPG

    1997-1998: 11.6 PPG, 9.1 APG, 6.2 RPG, 2.3 SPG

    1998-1999: 10.8 PPG, 9.1 APG, 6.0 RPG, 2.2 SPG (lockout-shortened season)

    1999-2000: 14.3 PPG, 10.1 APG, 7.2 RPG, 2.0 SPG

    2000-2001: 16.9 PPG, 9.8 APG, 6.9 RPG, 2.2 SPG

New Jersey Nets (2001–2008):

    2001-2002: 14.7 PPG, 9.9 APG, 7.3 RPG, 2.1 SPG

    2002-2003: 18.7 PPG, 8.9 APG, 6.3 RPG, 2.2 SPG

    2003-2004: 15.5 PPG, 9.2 APG, 6.4 RPG, 2.0 SPG

    2004-2005: 14.4 PPG, 7.4 APG, 6.6 RPG, 1.9 SPG

    2005-2006: 13.3 PPG, 8.4 APG, 7.3 RPG, 1.7 SPG

    2006-2007: 13.0 PPG, 9.2 APG, 7.3 RPG, 1.9 SPG

    2007-2008: 11.7 PPG, 10.4 APG, 8.2 RPG, 2.0 SPG

Dallas Mavericks (2008–2012):

    2008-2009: 9.0 PPG, 9.5 APG, 6.2 RPG, 1.7 SPG

    2009-2010: 10.3 PPG, 9.1 APG, 5.6 RPG, 1.7 SPG

    2010-2011: 7.9 PPG, 8.2 APG, 4.4 RPG, 1.6 SPG

    2011-2012: 6.2 PPG, 5.5 APG, 4.1 RPG, 1.5 SPG

New York Knicks (2012–2013):

    2012-2013: 6.0 PPG, 3.3 APG, 4.3 RPG, 1.6 SPG

Brooklyn Nets (2013–2014):

    2013-2014: 6.0 PPG, 5.5 APG, 4.3 RPG, 1.6 SPG

Milwaukee Bucks (2014–2015):

    2014-2015: 7.6 PPG, 5.5 APG, 3.7 RPG, 1.6 SPG

 

 

 

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Jason Kidd Retires after 19 NBA seasons