NBA legend and current head coach of the Dallas Mavericks Jason Kidd has entered the football world by joining the ownership group of Premier League side Everton, the club announced on Thursday. In a statement released Thursday by Everton, executive chairman Marc Watts said Kidd’s “knowledge and winning mentality will be an incredible resource” for a nine-time English champions, which is without a major trophy since 1995 and has been battling relegation in recent years. Kidd “is a respected leader and household name for many sports fans,” Watts said, “and will bring a deeper understanding of high performance as we collectively strive to build a brighter future for this storied club.” Kidd, a 10-time NBA All-Star, won the 2011 NBA Championship with the Dallas Mavericks and was a two-time Olympic gold medal winner with the U.S. national team in 2000 and 2008. As head coach, he took the Mavericks to the NBA Finals last year and has had previous spells in charge of the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks. Everton, on the other hand, recently secured its status in the Premier League for another year, languishing at 13th place currently, and is moving to a new state-of-the-art stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock for the start of next season. “I’m honored to be joining Everton’s ownership at such an important moment,” Kidd said in Everton’s statement. “With a new stadium on the horizon and a bright future ahead, it’s a great moment to come on board.” The 52-year-old Kidd becomes the latest high-profile figure from American sports to get involved in European football. In 2023, NFL great Tom Brady became a minority owner of Birmingham and chairman of its advisory board. Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James bought a small stake in Liverpool in 2011, and PGA Tour golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas are investors in the 49ers. (with agency inputs)