Before Kevin Durant destroyed people’s minds with what a seven-footer could do with his shooting and ball-handling ability, Dirk Nowitzki was the architect.
Dirk showed the basketball world that a seven-footer didn’t have to live in the paint. He could stretch defenses beyond the three-point line, operate from the perimeter and become the centerpiece of an elite offense. With his incredible shooting touch and iconic one-legged fadeaway, Dirk helped change what people believed was possible for a player his size.
But Dirk’s legacy is about much more than changing how big men played basketball. He spent 21 seasons with one franchise, won an MVP, scored more than 31,000 points and produced one of the greatest championship runs of his generation.
Dirk Nowitzki is our #4 greatest power forward of all time.
From Germany to Dallas
Nowitzki arrived in the NBA in 1998 as a relatively unknown prospect from Germany. His rookie season wasn’t spectacular, but Dallas quickly realized it had something special.
As Dirk developed, so did the Mavericks. His combination of size and shooting created problems NBA defenses simply weren’t accustomed to dealing with. Put a traditional power forward on him and Dirk could pull him away from the basket. Put a smaller defender on him and he could simply shoot over the top.
Year after year, he became one of the most reliable scorers in basketball and transformed Dallas into a consistent contender.
An MVP at His Peak
Dirk’s regular-season peak came in 2006-07. He averaged 24.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game while shooting an incredible 50.2% from the field, 41.6% from three and 90.4% from the free-throw line.
Dallas finished 67-15, the best regular season in franchise history, and Dirk was rewarded with the 2007 NBA MVP award, becoming the first European-born player to win the honor.
The season ended painfully with a first-round upset against the Golden State Warriors, and after Dallas had already lost the 2006 NBA Finals despite taking a 2-0 series lead, questions about whether Dirk could lead a team all the way were getting louder.
Then 2011 changed everything.
The Run That Changed His Legacy
Five years after losing in the Finals, Dirk got another opportunity. This time, he wasn’t letting it go.
The Mavericks defeated Portland in the opening round before sweeping Kobe Bryant and the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers. Next came Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and the Oklahoma City Thunder. Dallas beat them in five.
Waiting in the NBA Finals was Miami.
And not just any Miami team.
LeBron James. Dwyane Wade. Chris Bosh.
The newly formed Big Three were expected to begin a dynasty.
Dirk had other plans.
One of the Greatest Championship Runs Ever
Nowitzki was phenomenal throughout the 2011 postseason, averaging 27.7 points and 8.1 rebounds across 21 playoff games. But the Finals turned his run into basketball history.
Dallas fell behind Miami 2-1 before Dirk helped completely change the series. In Game 4, he battled through illness and scored 10 points in the fourth quarter as Dallas tied the series. The Mavericks won Game 5 and then walked into Miami for Game 6 with an opportunity to finish the job.
They did.
Dallas defeated Miami 105-95, winning the series 4-2 and capturing the first championship in Mavericks history. Dirk averaged 26.0 points and 9.7 rebounds per game in the Finals and was named Finals MVP.
After years of hearing that he couldn’t get it done in the postseason, Dirk had gone through Kobe Bryant’s Lakers, Durant’s Thunder and LeBron’s Heat to win a championship.
There was nothing left to say.
Dirk Nowitzki was an NBA champion.
Changing the Power Forward Position
Dirk’s influence extends far beyond his championship. He helped redefine what teams believed a seven-footer could do offensively.
Big men didn’t have to spend every possession around the basket. They could stretch the floor, shoot from three, operate from the perimeter and still be the centerpiece of an elite offense. His one-legged fadeaway became practically impossible to defend. With Dirk’s height and high release point, defenders could know exactly what was coming and still have almost no chance of stopping it.
The modern NBA is filled with big men who shoot from the perimeter.
Dirk helped build the blueprint.
A Dallas Legend
Dirk never left. He spent all 21 seasons of his NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks, becoming synonymous with the franchise.
By the time he retired in 2019, his résumé spoke for itself.
NBA Champion
NBA Finals MVP
NBA MVP
14-time All-Star
12-time All-NBA selection
31,560 career points
He retired as one of the greatest scorers in NBA history and the greatest player the Dallas Mavericks had ever seen.
But numbers alone don’t completely explain Dirk Nowitzki’s legacy. He changed his position, remained loyal to one franchise for his entire career and, when his biggest opportunity arrived, led Dallas through a gauntlet of NBA superstars to one of the most memorable championships of the modern era.
From Germany to Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki changed basketball forever.
Dirk Nowitzki is our #4 greatest power forward of all time.
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