LeBron James Shuts Down Jason Kidd's Self-Deprecating Talk At 2025 HOF Ceremony

While LeBron James has been adamant about his place in NBA history, he has constantly recognized the greatness of his predecessors and peers. During the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame ceremony this past Sunday, James went so far as to cut off a former teammate who may have been selling himself too short.

That teammate was Jason Kidd, who played alongside LBJ on the renowned "Redeem Team" at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. As Kidd and James shared the Hall of Fame stage with their fellow Olympians, the widely respected court general began to talk about his role on that iteration of Team USA.

"I might have been the captain, but I was more like the water boy, the towel boy," Kidd said, drawing laughter from the live audience in Springfield.

When the former Dallas Mavericks guard joked about asking Team USA players about their favorite color of Gatorade, James decided that he'd had enough of Kidd's false humility.

"Stop it. Stop it," James pleaded. "He's the only one that's never lost a game in international play ever. Ever."

LBJ is a known savant of the sport, and in this moment, he was spot on with his facts. As per the official website of USA Basketball, Kidd has an unblemished 46-0 record in international play. This includes two trips to the Olympics and three stints at the Tournament of the Americas.

Though Kidd was an elder statesman rather than a focal point on offense in 2008,  his leadership helped the strong personalities of Team USA come together to achieve their common goal. When all was said and done in Beijing, Kidd and James were celebrating their gold medal conquest.

The 10-time All-Star point guard would go on to play another integral role later in James' career. In 2019, Kidd signed on to become an assistant coach for an LA Lakers squad bannered by James and Anthony Davis. The outbreak of COVID led to the unique circumstances of the "NBA Bubble" that season, and in that singular environment, Kidd was part of the braintrust that helped James win his fourth NBA championship.

Kidd has since gone on to become the head coach of the Dallas Mavericks. Though he and James are on opposing Western Conference teams, their bond of respect endures.