Bucks players say they were surprised by Kidd's firing

Lori Nickel
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Guard Eric Bledsoe considered Jason Kidd "a No. 1 mentor" between the time Bledsoe arrived from Phoenix and Kidd lost his job as Bucks head coach Monday.

The rest of the world may be used to the callous and unpredictable business side to the NBA, but the events of Monday afternoon were a new experience for 20-year old Thon Maker.

As soon as the second-year center for the Milwaukee Bucks heard that his coach, Jason Kidd, had been fired hours before tipoff against the Phoenix Suns, he got to the BMO Harris Bradley Center and went looking for answers.

“It’s just weird. The first thing I did was go talk to some of the coaches. It’s my first time being involved with something like this,” said Maker. “I didn’t know what to make of it. It’s tough. I hear a lot of people saying, ‘It’s the business.’ But … a crazy business.”

Maker had more questions he wanted to ask of others, including veteran teammate Jason Terry. How was he supposed to handle the next 24 hours, the next week? What would this mean for the immediate future, and the long-term future?

“Not everybody is prepared for anything like this. But they’re telling us, ‘You’ve got a game to go play, so continue to stay focused,’ ” said Maker.

“Whatever your feelings are, you’ve got to block them out. Get ready for the game at hand. That’s exactly what Coach Joe told me.”

Maker was referring to Joe Prunty, the assistant who was named interim coach for the rest of the year.

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Otherwise, it was somewhat hard to gauge the real reaction of the team. Most of the starters – including Giannis Antetokounmpo – were not in the locker room when players were available to reporters before tipoff.

The team didn’t look distraught on a Bucks Instagram video post of the players doing a warmup dance with Rashad Vaughn leading the way.

Vaughn said he got the news of Kidd’s firing when it popped up on his phone Monday afternoon.

“I really didn’t have a reaction," Vaughn said. "It’s part of the business, part of the NBA."

When a team fires its coach in the middle of a season, it stands to reason the powers that be expect the team to perform better than it has. But Vaughn said there wasn’t any additional pressure on the team.

“It’s the same basketball, you’re just going out there playing for each other,” Vaughn said. “Keep doing what we’re doing; I don’t think there’s any pressure.”

Newcomer Eric Bledsoe echoed the sentiments of his teammates that no one seemed to see this kind of news coming.

“I’m shocked man," said Bledsoe, who was obtained from the Suns in a trade in November. "I mean, J Kidd was a No. 1 mentor to me since I’ve been here. To see he got fired … it’s crazy. Yeah, I am kind of shocked by it. I am. I thought he did a great job. But you know, it’s a business. You can’t control it.”

Bledsoe was asked whether Kidd lost this team. He paused before answering.

“I mean ... I can’t speak on anybody else. But I can speak on my experience since I’ve been here and I liked him.”

The news was so sudden that a couple of the players said they hadn’t had the chance to talk to Kidd yet, but one of them for sure, John Henson, planned to reach out at some point.

"I don't think anyone saw it coming,” said Henson. “It hurts because this is the longest I've ever had a coach. I hope the best for him.

"I haven't spoke to him. I kind of want things to die down a bit before I send him a message of thanks, praise. That's what we'll probably do tomorrow."