In one of the biggest recent stories former NBA Head Coach and current NBA Assistant Coach Jason Kidd announced via Twitter he would be sponsoring an elite West Coast Girls Grassroots program. Kidd added Armando Pazos formerly of Golden City and Ben Boyd from Arizona Select to manage and operate the new West Coast grassroots club venture. Both Arizona Select and Golden City were members of the inaugural Girls Under Armour Association in 2019. We took time out to interview the masterminds behind the new Jason Kidd Select on what to expect with their new club.
JAS: What should the average person know about Jason Kidd Select? What is the goal of the program and what areas do you plan on serving geographically?
JKS: Jason Kidd Select is a girls club basketball program focused on providing opportunities on and off the court for female student athletes. Our goal as a program is to prepare these girls for the next level of basketball by giving them a platform with top competition, skill development, and college recruiting assistance with the ultimate goal of getting a college scholarship for each player in our organization. We will be serving markets throughout the west coast, the main hubs being in Northern California and Phoenix (Arizona).
JAS: Both Golden City and Arizona Select had shoe contracts with Under Armour in the Girls UAA. What does the outlook for Jason Kidd Select look like affiliation wise?
JKS: Shoe contracts are important at the grassroots level. They definitely provide a lot for programs that have them but by no means were they a make or break thing. We would love to eventually be affiliated with a shoe brand but I think having the opportunity to partner with a Hall of Fame player and unite Golden City and Arizona Select offsets the immediate loss of a shoe affiliation.
JAS: How involved will Jason Kidd be in the program and what does that involvement look like?
JKS: He loved this and his objective is to be called the standard of club basketball not only on the west coast but nationally. His involvement will work around his NBA schedule and other responsibilities but he is going to provide so much support and enhance our program with so many unique opportunities and experiences. It is going to be terrific to watch it evolve this season and moving forward.
JAS: What do you anticipate the top players on Jason Kidd Select will be this season?
JKS: We are currently solidifying rosters but you can be sure that the top players from both Arizona Select and Golden City will be on the teams.
JAS: What does your 2021 schedule look like ?
JKS: This, like our rosters, remains fluid. Our goal is to maximize exposure and top competition. With the pandemic a lot of players are behind in their recruiting process. So our event schedule will be based on providing the most exposure and boosting each player recruitment as much as possible.
JAS: How will Jason Kidd Select Change Grassroots Basketball on the West Coast?
JKS: The ability to merge two elite programs into one, while partnering and having the support of a Hall of Fame Player in Jason Kidd, has never been done on the west coast. The sky’s the limit and possibilities are endless. We are excited to see where this journey takes us.
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