John Stockton had a sly and mischievous way of playing that made him both respected and hated. The Utah Jazz legend wasn’t flashy or loud, but he knew how to get under your skin—just enough to throw you off without ever really getting caught. His teammates loved him for it. His opponents? Not so much. He had all these little tricks, the kind that didn’t show up in the box score but quite literally left a mark or two. Other NBA greats took notice of what the 10x All-Star was doing. That includes fellow Hall of Famer Jason Kidd.
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Standing at only 6’1″, Stockton was pretty undersized compared to most guards. The all-time assists leader knew he had to lean in to some under-the-radar type tricks to survive on the court. Nothing egregious, just smart, annoying basketball that gave him an edge.
Kidd respected the maneuvers that Stockton pulled off, even if they were deemed dirty. He spoke about some of that style of play during a recent appearance on The Dan Patrick Show.
“Best passer though in the history of the game is who?” asked Patrick to his guest. Kidd, who is No. 2 all-time in assists behind Stockton, still named his superior as the GOAT in that area. When Patrick inquired as to why Stockton was his choice the 2011 NBA Champion didn’t hesitate. “I think the bounce pass, he had big hands, could take it off the dribble, could pause with it,” he stated. “Some would call that a double-dribble,” he added, which got a huge laugh out of Patrick.
This led the duo to wonder how certain elements of the game had changed, like the introduction of the carry without it being blown dead by the referees. While Patrick suggested that Iverson might have been the innovator, Kidd once again sang the praises of Stockton. “I think it’s the guy we were just talking about,” Kidd stated. “If you look at Stockton, he knew how to manipulate the dribble.”
Patrick then decided to open up a door that many have tried to open regarding Stockton’s legacy. “Was he dirty?” he asked. Kidd smiled. “He was smart.” The answer not only got another laugh out of the famed analyst but forced the current Mavericks head coach to laugh as well. While he never properly said it, the chuckle implied that Kidd did understand that Stockton knew how to bend the rules better than most.
It’s hard to put Stockton in the dirty player category. Bill Laimbeer would physically assault opposing players. Draymond Green, who should be listed as one of the all-time great defenders, also has his history of stomping, kicking, clawing, and headlocking. It seems incomparable to Stockton, who, while physical, never did anything that made you think he had a receipt coming.
Vernon Maxwell thinks differently
While it’s easy to look at some of the league’s most notorious killers and say that Stockton doesn’t compare, that doesn’t mean he didn’t have his haters. Vernon Maxwell famously referred to the Jazz legend as one of the “dirtiest f***ing players ever in the NBA” during an appearance on All The Smoke.
“Stockton dirty as f**k,” said the two-time NBA Champion. “He’s a dog. He’s a demon.” Maxwell would know. 1990s basketball was a completely different era. In those days Stockton’s physicality or Rodman’s mind games would be applauded. But in today’s NBA? The techs would come out and the refs may eject you from the game.
There are aspects of the game today that do exceed the NBA of the past. Players are more athletic, are capable of much greater things because of how much the game has evolved. Yet there was something about Stockton’s era that still warms the heart of basketball fans. His success proved that you didn’t have to be the biggest, or the meanest, or the most intense. You just had to be the smartest, and if that gets you labeled as dirty, then maybe he is the dirtiest of all time.
