By Sophie Mosleh
As the many hundreds of excited fans awaited in anticipation in Tla' Al-Ali Hall in Amman, Friday, for Jason Kidd, the most recently named highest scoring three-point shooter in the NBA, the debonair star finally arrived along with his Arabic wife Jumana.
Dressed casually in slacks and a sports jacket, the Phoenix Suns playmaker was welcomed enthusiastically by fans and basketball playing youths from the Jazirah club.
After signing endless autographs for ecstatic teenagers and posing for photographs incessantly, the NBA star shooted hoops with four of Jazerah's best. Although there was a slight noticeable limp in his walk, Kidd outdid everybody and the free-throwing was enjoyed by all.
Kidd seemed happy to be in Amman and commented on how great it was that although the capital is strongly dominated by soccer, its youth is greatly talented, especially the women.
Although Kidd was disappointed the Suns didn't make it into the NBA finals, he bravely said, "We had a great season. Unfortunately we got beaten by the Lakers in the playoffs. It looks like they're gonna be the championship team. The Lakers will win the championship," he confidently added.
Kidd declared that he would be representing the USA in the Sydney Olympics this summer saying, "it's a dream come true to be able to play against the best players in the world."
Kidd, who occasionally practices with Shaquille O'Neal, described the NBA's most valuable player as one of the most dedicated players around, saying that if he missed a goal in a game, he would go home and practice for 2-3 hours till he got it right.
The young star admitted that soccer was his first sport growing up, but now basketball takes up most of his time.
© 2000 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
