Dirk Nowitzki was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks and immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks during the 1998 draft. He was selected 9th overall from Germany, making him the 4th German player in NBA history to play in the association. Along with Dirk Nowitzki, the Dallas Mavericks also acquired star point guard Steve Nash, where they both became instant friends.
His first season with the Mavericks was delayed due to an NBA lockout, which put the Maverick’s season in jeopardy. With this happening, Nowitzki went back to Germany to play some games over there. When the NBA finally came back around, he struggled to make a name for himself. He was overpowered by many of the NBA players during his time, considering he was a skinny, tall, European player. He didn’t average a lot of points as well, only averaging around 8 points per game during his first season.
In the years following, he became used to the game, getting bigger, and can now handle himself on the defensive end. In his second year, he became more of a scorer for the team, averaging 17.5 points per game in his sophomore season. He quickly got used to the NBA, and after his first season, he would go on a tear.
His first two years were him getting used to the NBA, and now that he is, he is ready. During his next 10 years, he never averaged under 21 points per game in a season, leading the Mavericks to a title contending run in the 2005-06 season, facing off against Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat. He held his own, averaging near 23 points per game, while averaging 10 rebounds a game and under 3 assists per game. The Mavericks lost to the Heat but did not go down without a fight. Dirk was definitely making a name for himself, as well as being one of the best European players of all time already.
The next few seasons were, overall, pretty good. The team put up a franchise record in wins with 67 wins, and Dirk himself won NBA MVP during that season as well. During this season, Dirk averaged 24.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, and went on to become the fifth player in NBA history to join the 50-40-90 club, which is shooting 50% from the field, 40% from the three-point line and 90% from the free-throw line. He had a fantastic year, yet the Mavericks fell short of a title run, being the only team in NBA history to lose to an 8th-seeded team while being the 1st seed.
Dirk and the Mavericks would get their revenge in the 2011-12 season, playing none other than the Miami Heat in the finals. This Miami Heat team is completely different from when they previously battled. Dwyane Wade had the likes of LeBron James and Chris Bosh to back him up. Despite those 3 monsters on a team, the Mavericks completely shut down the team and Dirk finally got his ring. The Dallas Mavericks were your 2011-12 NBA Champions!
After winning a ring, Dirk and the Mavericks didn’t really do much with themselves. Dirk, however, became the 6th player in NBA history to eclipse 30,000 points in his 21-year career with the Mavericks.
Now, the reason why I have Dirk Nowitzki over Dwyane Wade on the list is that he was a fighter, and ultimately, his longevity. Dirk Nowitzki is the only player to stay with a single team for 21 years. With that, the ring he won in 2011-12 was impressive, which could possibly be the most impressive ring ever won in NBA history. I know I shouldn’t look at accomplishments, but you really can’t look over the fact that he has 30,000+ career points. He is also regarded as the best European player in NBA history. He is an amazing leader, and a great role model for players like Luka Doncic, who is on the same path as he was. For that reason, Dirk Nowitzki is number 14 on my list.
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