Official Dirk is Great Thread

[Murphy3]

Originally Posted by BPo001

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is contemplating retiring Dirk Nowitzki’s No. 41 jersey as soon as this season – if possible. “Dirk and I are discussing it,” Cuban told Mavs.com prior to Tuesday’s game between the Mavs and Golden State Warriors. “We’re trying to figure it out.” The only Mavs’ players whose jersey have been retired are Brad Davis, Rolando Blackman and Derek Harper. As far as retiring Nowitzki’s jersey, Cuban said: “The challenge is just getting it all done just because it’s not a lot of home games left. It’s only like (19) home games left, so that’s the hard part. – via mavs.com

Dirk didn't just retire.... this didn't sneak up on him.

[Underdog]

@TheMulf: Mark Cuban just said on the Ben & Skin Show that they plan on retiring Dirk's number at the beginning of next season.

[NeedlesKane]

I just realized how perfect it was that Dirk retired last year rather than this season. He wouldn't have had a proper sendoff if he played one more season. We're so lucky as Mavs fans. We wanted him to play another season when he announced his retirement, but we had no clue this is what lied ahead.

[SMC0007]

Originally Posted by NeedlesKane

I just realized how perfect it was that Dirk retired last year rather than this season. He wouldn't have had a proper sendoff if he played one more season. We're so lucky as Mavs fans. We wanted him to play another season when he announced his retirement, but we had no clue this is what lied ahead.

True dat.

This place is as much a ghost town as the roads and many businesses.

[sefant77]

Still pisses me off that he had Wade forcing his retiring shit on everyone. And yesterday i remembered that because of the same year of retirement Wade is going to be in the same HoF class....blargh

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by sefant77

Still pisses me off that he had Wade forcing his retiring shit on everyone. And yesterday i remembered that because of the same year of retirement Wade is going to be in the same HoF class....blargh

Is that really a bad thing? I don't think Dirk ever had a proper rival, but I think Wade is probably the closest thing. They met in the finals twice, and there was real animosity between them for years. Their names are linked in NBA history forever. Seems appropriate to me that they would go in the HoF together.

[Scoobay]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

Is that really a bad thing? I don't think Dirk ever had a proper rival, but I think Wade is probably the closest thing. They met in the finals twice, and there was real animosity between them for years. Their names are linked in NBA history forever. Seems appropriate to me that they would go in the HoF together.

i guess that's a good perspective...
the contrast between them makes Dirk stand out more in some sense.

Wade was a great player in his own right but also a whiny cheat crybaby fake tough little bitch. Be a man and do your thing instead of the showboating and fake coughing crap.

That 20 seconds or so at the end of Game 2 is what I like to remember about Wade - Dirk taking it in for the winning bucket and then Wade throwing up a prayer with Dirk defending and Wade flopping to try to get a call. Symbolic how he's lying on the ground as Dirk walks away with his fist up in the air.

[Melonhead]

Just for fun and bored:

Imagine Dirk coming out of retirement to suit up for the Orlando bubble playoffs. Body just needs to last a few months, spot up 3s.

[Murphy3]

It's blasphemous that his fell off the first page..

[endrity]

Originally Posted by Murphy3

It's blasphemous that his fell off the first page..

Word!

[Scoobay]

Originally Posted by endrity

Word!

sorry chief - we'll all have to do better.

[sefant77]

So glad he retired last year and doesnt have this trainwreck season as his last one...

[dirt_dobber]

Dirk speaking at the Adobe MAX 2020 conference.
We were very fortunate to have a guy like that for so long.
https://www.adobe.com/max/2020/sessi...e-od5157.html#

[sefant77]

bump from 4th page. Shame.

Feel bad for Dirk, he said he is looking forward to travel alot and now he is stuck since a year. Now i think the earliest he starts to work (parttime) for the Mavs is the 22-23 season....

[Scoobay]

https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2021/1...-national-team

Highlights of Dirk playing for his country
nice to see young/prime age Dirk moving so easily, grabbing boards, crossing people up and shooting that sweet jumper, blocking fools at the rim, stripping the ball before they can even get a shot up.

[Murphy3]

Originally Posted by Scoobay

https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2021/1...-national-team

Highlights of Dirk playing for his country
nice to see young/prime age Dirk moving so easily, grabbing boards, crossing people up and shooting that sweet jumper, blocking fools at the rim, stripping the ball before they can even get a shot up.

A lot of people were to young to remember or simply don’t remember the young and athletic Dirk.

[Quantum]

I dont even remember him moving that well...wow. I watched a lot of Dirk and I am same age haha. Damn...he was so legit.

[Murphy3]

Originally Posted by Quantum

I dont even remember him moving that well...wow. I watched a lot of Dirk and I am same age haha. Damn...he was so legit.

Oh yeah, he was the type of big man that could lead the break... would take people off the dribble.. It is amazing how well he was able to adapt his game throughout the years.

[EricaLubarsky]

Shivers

[BPo001]

Originally Posted by EricaLubarsky

Shivers

Legendary photo

[G-Man]

Sporting News is out with its top 75 All-Time NBA greats, based on how good they were at their peak. That lets guys like Chris Webber in, in spite of careers shortened by injuries. They rank Dirk as #18, and I have no quibble.

Their blurb cites his 2011 championship over Miami's big three as his peak. However they failed to mention that he beat 7 guys on their top 75 list, including three, Kobe, LeBron and Duncan, who rated higher on their list than he did. The Lakers, with Gasol, the Thunder with Harden and Westbrook, and the Heat with Wade, all had at least 2 top 75 players. The Mavs only All-Star was the big German. Now that is a peak performance!

They also failed to mention that he revolutionized the game. No one can get hired as a four now, unless he can hit the three. That's all Dirk.

All Hail...and is the statue up yet?

[NXperience]

Need some good memories on the first Page to end this year

Dirk still is great

[EricaLubarsky]

[Melonhead]

damnit with the time difference i couldnt get to a computer to order some Dirk merch. Shirt i wanted is sold out

[DevinHarriswillstart]

Originally Posted by Melonhead

damnit with the time difference i couldnt get to a computer to order some Dirk merch. Shirt i wanted is sold out

They have the shirts back in stock.

[DannyFortsonBakedPotato]

Man, that gold satin jacket is slick. Might have bought one if not sold out!

[dirt_dobber]

Starting at 5 p.m. Wednesday, fans can tour a special museum showcase from Nowitzki’s personal collection, which will be on display inside the concourse. The museum will include All-Star and championship rings, jerseys, shoes and memorabilia from his history with the Mavericks. See a full list of the items below.

Nowitzki’s game-used basketballs

31,000 career points
30,000 career points
25,000 career points
10,000 career points
50,000 minutes played
29 points in the 4th quarter
Scored 53 points
10,000 career rebounds
Nowitzki’s game-worn shoes

2008 All-Star game
2010-12 All-Star games
2014-15 All-Star games
2019 All-Star game
6th all-time scoring (first time)
6th all-time scoring (second time)
10th all-time scoring
11th all-time scoring
Nowitzki’s game-worn jerseys

2004-07 All-Star games
2009 All-Star games
2014-15 All-Star games
2019 All-Star game
6th all-time scoring (first time)
6th all-time scoring (second time)
7th all-time scoring
50,000 minutes player
30,000 career points
28,000 career points
Nowitzki’s milestone moment jerseys

Final career game (41.21.1.)
2006 finals jersey
31,000 career points
Nowitzki’s rings

2002-12 All-Star games
2014-15 All-Star game
2019 All-Star game
2011 championship ring
Nowitzki’s trophies

2011 Finals MVP trophy
2007 NBA MVP trophy
2011 championship trophy
Game-used nets from

Game 5 of the 2011 NBA Finals
Dirk’s 30,000 career point night
Dirk’s final career game (41.21.1.)
Basketballs

2011 championship team autographed basketball
2011 championship team “THE CHAMPIONS” autographed basketball
Nowitzki autographed basketball

[saclare]

Was that "museum" only on display yesterday? Would be cool to tour otherwise.

[BPo001]

Originally Posted by saclare

Was that "museum" only on display yesterday? Would be cool to tour otherwise.

It wasn’t really a museum. They just had items roped off in different areas. Like as you walked in one entrance there might have been some of his jerseys from special games. As you walked around you would come across another section with his shoes. Then his rings, trophies, etc. there wasn’t just like one area to walk through. It was all scattered across the bottom floor.

That said as I was leaving I noticed they had pulled the jerseys from the mannequin, so I assume it was just a 1 day thing.

[saclare]

Originally Posted by BPo001

It wasn’t really a museum. They just had items roped off in different areas. Like as you walked in one entrance there might have been some of his jerseys from special games. As you walked around you would come across another section with his shoes. Then his rings, trophies, etc. there wasn’t just like one area to walk through. It was all scattered across the bottom floor.

That said as I was leaving I noticed they had pulled the jerseys from the mannequin, so I assume it was just a 1 day thing.

Ah all good. Figured with them being personal it wouldn't last but for the night.

[DannyFortsonBakedPotato]

Sine this thread could always use a bump...

Was reading a RealGM thread on Jokic's amazing season, and how his +/- this year was over 20. Someone posted the short list of guys who had +20 or better +/- seasons, and of course Dirk was on it, along with KG, which led me to some digging...

KG did not have a single negative plus/minus season until age 37. Same with TD. Dirk didn't until age 39! Which made me think, I'm sure he must have the (admittedly arbitrary) record for straight seasons with a positive plus/minus. (For reference, Kobe had 3 early in his career. Curry has already had 1. Durant 3.) The only guy who could pass him is LeBron, who at age 37, still hasn't had a negative +/-.

[Lestat_1795]

https://youtu.be/zyYYPg0bfHA
Great short clip of Dirk talking about 06,07&11

[Grady Wilson]

A biography about Dirk was published yesterday. I’ve been waiting for two months for it so yesterday I bought it for my kindle. Finishing up another book tonight or tomorrow and then I get to start on this one. It’s called The Great Nowitzki.

[Melonhead]

Originally Posted by Grady Wilson

A biography about Dirk was published yesterday. I’ve been waiting for two months for it so yesterday I bought it for my kindle. Finishing up another book tonight or tomorrow and then I get to start on this one. It’s called The Great Nowitzki.

Yeah finally. Gonna swing by Barnes and Noble this weekend

[Scoobay]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb6crg2QBrU

Tony Parker's selections

1. Parker
2. Petrovic
3. Giannis
4. Dirk
5. Pau Gasol

Luka, Kukoc, Sabonis, Jokic, Stojakovic

[Thespiralgoeson]

Originally Posted by Scoobay

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eb6crg2QBrU

Tony Parker's selections

1. Parker
2. Petrovic
3. Giannis
4. Dirk
5. Pau Gasol

Luka, Kukoc, Sabonis, Jokic, Stojakovic

Not a terrible list, but not a very good one either. Jokic >>>> Gasol. And Luka >>>>> Parker (although I guess I can't really blame the guy for being biased for himself.)

And that's only a fair judgment of Sabonis if we're going solely by his NBA career. There's a near universal consensus from everyone who ever saw him play that Sabonis in his prime was one of the greatest bigs of all-time and would have dominated the NBA if he had come over before his injuries piled up and he got old.

[Scoobay]

Originally Posted by Thespiralgoeson

Not a terrible list, but not a very good one either. Jokic >>>> Gasol. And Luka >>>>> Parker (although I guess I can't really blame the guy for being biased for himself.)

And that's only a fair judgment of Sabonis if we're going solely by his NBA career. There's a near universal consensus from everyone who ever saw him play that Sabonis in his prime was one of the greatest bigs of all-time and would have dominated the NBA if he had come over before his injuries piled up and he got old.

Yeah crazy to think about prime Sabonis - maybe Jokic is the closest thing we've seen to how he may have been.

lots of bigs from Europe - didn't even list Marc Gasol, gobert, D Sabonis, vucevic, smits, and others

not so many wings of note

[Thespiralgoeson]

If we need a good athletic wing, we can cheat a bit and put Ginobili in. Yes I know he's Argentine, but he played a significant part of his career in Italy.

[mavErika]

In light of yesterday's jersey retirement ceremony I'm shocked this thread had not been bumped to the front page already.

Anyways, here's a good read:

https://www.fiba.basketball/eurobask...egend-nowitzki

Inspiration, pioneer, global superstar: Europe's best tip hat to legend Nowitzki

COLOGNE (Germany) - Dirk Nowitzki achieved so much in his two decades of starring for Germany and the Dallas Mavericks. In addition to all the team and individual accomplishments, the legendary figure also inspired generations of young Europeans.

A number of them are at FIBA EuroBasket 2022 and congratulated him on his number 14 jersey being retired by the German Basketball Federation on the opening night of the tournament and recalled what he meant to them growing up in Europe.

"Dirk is a legend of the game, not only for us Germans but for the whole world of basketball," said Germany's new leader Dennis Schroder, who played with Nowitzki at his final tournament, EuroBasket 2015. "I still remember watching him play when I was a kid, and I was lucky to be able to play with him and learned so much from him about the game. He is really a legend on and off the court. Retiring his number is the cherry on the top of the cake for a player."

"HE'S AN INSPIRATION FOR ALL OF US. I HAVE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESPECT FOR HIM."

Goran Dragic knows Nowitzki from the NBA, the national team and his connection with Mavericks star and fellow Slovenian star Luka Doncic.

"He's a global superstar - one of my favorite players from Europe when I was growing up and when I came to the league," Dragic said of Nowitzki. "He gives so much to Dallas, so much to the NBA, so much to European basketball. It?s unbelievable. I had many, many battles with him, unfortunately most of those battles we lost. But it's always great to see one of the best players in European history be honored."

The jersey ceremony happened just before Germany's first game in the tournament against France and French star big man Rudy Gobert also had high words of praise for Nowitzki.

"He's an inspiration for all of us. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him - not just for what he's done on the court but also for who he is as a human being," Gobert said. "He is definitely one of the guys that I really look up to. And his career, his path and the way he approached the game to me is very genuine, and that's the way I approach the game too."

Lithuania star Domantas Sabonis remembers fondly Nowitzki guiding the Mavericks to the 2011 NBA title and even waking up early in the morning to watch the NBA Finals games live in Spain.

"He's awesome. I grew up watching him. One of the best European players. His run when they won the championship in 2011 was amazing. Seeing him go against the Big Three (LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh), it was awesome."

Sabonis also recalled a workout he had one time in Dallas and Nowitzki approached him and asked Sabonis about his legendary father Arvydas Sabonis. "He came over and said how you doing? How's your pops? He's always been nice to me. Amazing player but even better off the court."

"HE'S A GLOBAL SUPERSTAR - ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLAYERS FROM EUROPE WHEN I WAS GROWING UP AND WHEN I CAME TO THE LEAGUE (NBA)."- Goran Dragic

Sabonis' Lithuania star teammate Jonas Valanciunas said Nowtizki means a lot to every European, even every person who follows basketball.

"This is one of the biggest names, especially for me. Being a European who is playing in the NBA, it means a lot to see more and more European players being successful. He was the star there and he showed that European players can play there. That stepback was the killer. It?s hard to forget that," recalled Valanciunas.

"One of the greats. His basketball did a lot of good for us," said Bosnia and Herzegovina leader Jusuf Nurkic. "You look at his story and how he began and came to the NBA - for me one of the best from overseas: him, Drazen (Petrovic), Vlade (Divac), Toni (Kukoc). He did a lot of great for our basketball and all of us to get there. I was fortunate enough to play against him later in his career and it was amazing."

Croatia center Ivica Zubac said all of the younger generations really need to thank Nowitzki for paving the way.

"I think all the younger kids in Europe, when they start growing up, when they start playing basketball, when they start watching basketball, and when they get to understand the game, they see Dirk and what he did during his career. How he came over so early, so young and kind of fought for his role over in the league and made a big name for himself and paved the way for all the European guys," Zubac said.

"He was obviously one of the best European players ever, so he had a big impact on all of us. His career was so, so amazing, spending his whole career with one club and winning that title. And then playing for his national team with a lot of patience, it's really big time and inspiring for future generations," added Croatian star Bojan Bogdanovic.

Nowitzki's impact was not just felt by young European players. European coaches also got to experience first hand Nowitzki's greatness. One of them was France playcaller Vincent Collet.

"I don't think we are used to (a jersey retirement ceremony) like in the United States, to celebrate stars like this. Nowitzki, for me, was one of the players who dominated Europe - along with Tony Parker and Pau Gasol. We crossed him a couple of times and he was always a big problem for us," Collet said before the ceremony. "It will be a special moment, an emotional moment. I like that. I think it's good for our sport to celebrate our former great players."

Former great players like Dirk Nowitzki, who clearly has left a major mark of inspiration on the current stars at EuroBasket.

[Scoobay]

https://www.mavsmoneyball.com/2022/1...-has-ever-been

Keeping the man on the front page - happy Dirk makes me happy