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After the Dallas Mavericks honored Dirk Nowitzki with a statue unveiling ceremony, he talked with reporters for over 20 minutes about a wide range of topics. Much of the focus was placed on his legacy, but his insight was shared regarding other focuses.
One of the great debates among NBA fans, analysts, and current or former players is about who was the greatest to ever play the game? The two choices that tend to be at the top for many are Michael Jordan and LeBron James. What does Nowitzki think about it?
"Tremendous that he can still play like this in his Year 20. The athleticism is incredible. I'm happy for him. I always say that Michael Jordan is the G.O.A.T — if (LeBron) really passes Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar) in the scoring record, I'm running out of arguments for Michael. What this guy has done is nothing short of incredible.
"The longevity — I always say, being called 'Kings' at 15 and how he turned out, and what he's done for communities at where he played and changed so many lives... He's a very, very special athlete. I think, for now, we need to appreciate watching him and the level he's playing at."
Nowitzki has long regarded Jordan as being the greatest player to ever play on an NBA floor. The respect has been reciprocated from Jordan, too. Back in 2013, Jordan listed Nowitzki, along with Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, and James as being modern superstars that would thrive during his era.
“For him to even know my name is crazy, to be honest,” Nowitzki said of being included on Jordan's list. “For him to say that I could have been a good player then means a lot. It’s humbling. It’s been great. It’s been a crazy ride over 15 years. It’s great to get respect from the greatest of all time.”
James has also held significant respect for Nowitzki. In the post-game interview after the Christmas Day matchup against the Mavs, James described what Nowitzki meant to the game of basketball with a glowing review.
"(The statue) had to be a fadeaway, one-legger. ... Dirk is a legend. He's an icon. I think he's the greatest international player ever. I'd put him right there with Manu (Ginobili) What he brought here, to the city — that boy was cold. Dirk was cold. He revolutionized like what a stretch-four big could look like — put the ball on the ground, finish above the rim in his earlier years, and then just mastering that in-between game as his game a couple years down the line. Then he started taking it out to the 3-point line.
"You couldn't put a small on him because he was too big. You couldn't put a big on him because he was too quick with his first step early on. You could never block his shot because he shot it behind his head, it was Larry Bird-esque. When you talk about top power forwards, he's right up there with like (Charles) Barkley, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, and Kevin McHale — those guys.
"When you talk about somebody with one name, you know they were tough, and Dirk was tough."
There is rarely a clear-cut answer about such an ambiguous topic like about the greatest player to ever play a sport. Regardless, the insight of someone like Nowitzki will undoubtedly be appreciated in helping to figure it out.
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