Kobe chronicles: Jason Kidd understands Bryant’s battle with Father Time

As Kobe Bryant plays out his 20th and final season with the Lakers, the Los Angeles Times has reached out to players, coaches and broadcasters for recollections about his career.

Formerly a player with the New Jersey Nets, Jason Kidd lost to Bryant and the Lakers in the 2002 NBA Finals. He’s currently the coach of the Milwaukee Bucks.

On Tuesday night, Kobe Bryant scored 22 points to lead the Lakers over the Bucks, 113-95.

Before the game, Jason Kidd reflected on his relationship with Bryant through the years, and their common experience reaching the ends of their respective playing careers.

“His work ethic, his ability to perform and raise the bar each year, each game, that’s what made him special,” said Kidd.

Kidd was on the losing end twice against Bryant in the playoffs.

“Throughout our careers, we saw each other in the playoffs. Unfortunately, he’s got an undefeated record there, maybe,” said Kidd.

Bryant hit the game-winner over Kidd in Game 2 of the 2000 Western Conference Finals, ultimately defeating the Phoenix Suns in five games. In 2002, Bryant and the Lakers swept Kidd and the New Jersey Nets (now in Brooklyn) in the NBA Finals.

Kidd did finally get some revenge with the Dallas Mavericks, knocking out Bryant and the Lakers, while going on to win a title in 2011.

While Bryant and Kidd never played together in the NBA, they did win a gold medal together with Team USA.

“The 2008 Olympics, I was honored to be able to be on the same team, to watch him be him. To be the leader, one of the best players in the world,” said Kidd.

Kidd retired after the 2012-13 season. He quickly joined the coaching ranks, first with the Nets for the 2013-14 season, then the Bucks last year.

The decision to stop playing basketball was not an easy one.

“I think we can probably take one of Kobe’s quotes, I hope I get it right, because I felt the same way, it’s that, ‘You’re worried about getting into the car,’” said Kidd.

“People can laugh at that or take that lightly, but when you put that type of time on your body, it starts to take time to walk to the car or walk to the bathroom -- you take those things for granted.”

Bryant will retire after his 20th season ends in April, or later if the Lakers somehow make the playoffs despite their 4-21 start to the season.

Kidd played 19 seasons.

“We come in not understanding who Father Time is, and at the end, you find out very quickly who he is and that he’s undefeated. There’s no way around it,” said Kidd. “The question is. ‘What is the right time?’ You have to come and have peace with yourself that you can reflect and say, ‘Did I do everything?’

“The game has been great to me. Hopefully I left everything out there on the floor and I think you can see that with Kobe.”

Email Eric Pincus at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @EricPincus.