Overview:
Jason Kidd Foundation has launched JK Select Baseball, a nationwide initiative aimed at providing young athletes with access to elite development, mentorship, and competitive opportunities. The program is based on the success of JK Select Girls Basketball and will operate through a three-tier system, with Dallas serving as the central hub for foundation-managed teams and early development. The goal is to build something structured, supportive, and focused on long-term development instead of shortcuts, and to use sports to build better people and give young athletes across the country a real chance to dream, grow, and succeed.
The Jason Kidd Foundation is expanding its footprint in youth sports with the launch of JK Select Baseball, a nationwide initiative created to provide young athletes with access to elite development, mentorship, and competitive opportunities.
Led by Jason Kidd — a Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer, NBA champion, 10-time NBA All-Star, and head coach of the Dallas Mavericks — the program reflects his lifelong connection to sports and his belief in their power to shape lives far beyond the field.
“Sports have played a huge role in shaping who I am today,” Kidd said. “Through the Jason Kidd Foundation, my goal is to create environments where young athletes have access to great coaching, mentorship, and opportunities to grow — not just as players, but as people. JK Select Baseball is an extension of that mission.”
Though Kidd is best known for basketball, baseball has always been part of his story. He grew up playing the game, maintained close ties in the baseball world, and now experiences it in a new way as a father. His 15-year-old son, Chance Kidd, is emerging as a serious youth baseball prospect, giving Kidd a front-row seat to the realities of modern youth baseball.
Chance is a Class of 2029 player from Dallas who attends Prestonwood Christian Academy and competes on the national travel circuit. He plays primarily catcher and third base and already has a rare physical profile for his age — around 6-foot-2 and nearly 200 pounds. He has competed at major events like the USA Baseball 14U National Team Championships and has drawn attention for his arm strength, athleticism, and developing power at the plate.
“I love baseball — I grew up playing baseball and I have a lot of friends in the baseball world,” Kidd said. “My 15-year-old, Chance, is playing baseball, and I’ve gotten to see a little of the travel side of it. I was approached about doing something, and since we’ve had success with the JK Select Girls program, we felt that model could work in baseball too. If we take that model and put it into baseball, I think we can have some success.”
Watching Chance navigate travel ball, showcases, and national tournaments helped Kidd understand both the opportunities and the gaps in youth baseball — and that experience shaped the vision for JK Select Baseball. The goal was to build something structured, supportive, and focused on long-term development instead of shortcuts.
The blueprint already existed. JK Select Baseball is built off the success of JK Select Girls Basketball, Kidd’s elite Bay Area program now entering its sixth year. That program has produced more than 45 NCAA Division I athletes, four State Gatorade Players of the Year, and multiple international medalists — proof that elite coaching, structure, and access can change lives.
Now that same model is being adapted for baseball.
To lead the initiative, Kidd partnered with Tate Caraway, Brandon Chancellor, and Mike Phelps — a leadership team with more than 40 years of combined experience across amateur, collegiate, professional, and travel baseball. They will oversee athlete development, competition structure, and pathways to advancement.
JK Select Baseball will operate through a three-tier system: foundation-supported national teams for elite 15u–17u athletes, regional teams based in Dallas and managed by JK Select, and a licensed franchise pathway for organizations serving players from 7u to 18u.
Momentum has been immediate. More than 150 teams nationwide are already engaged, with plans to grow to 1,000 teams in key baseball markets. While the program is national, Dallas will serve as the central hub for foundation-managed teams and early development.
“We’ve been blessed to be able to help the areas that I’ve played in or lived in — the Bay and now Dallas,” Kidd said. “We’re excited for youth sports.”
For Kidd, the real mission goes deeper than competition.
“Development is key — not just on the field but off the field,” he said. “Building relationships and helping these young men navigate the world and find out what they like. Everyone’s not going to go pro. They could be doctors, they could be coders, they could be the next Bill Gates or the next president. Hopefully we can help these young men in all areas.”
That philosophy is embedded throughout JK Select Baseball. Along with skill training and exposure, the program emphasizes education, mentorship, leadership, and life preparation — building athletes who are prepared for whatever future they choose.
With deep ties to amateur, collegiate, and professional baseball, the operations team is positioned to give players real opportunities. But the program is equally focused on making sure kids enjoy the game, grow at the right pace, and stay healthy physically and mentally.
JK Select Baseball is both professional and personal for Kidd. It connects the game that shaped his youth, the son who inspires him today, and the communities he has called home.
In the end, the mission is simple: use sports to build better people — and give young athletes across the country a real chance to dream, grow, and succeed.
For more information, follow JK Select Baseball on Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok.