The other night was a special one for the Dallas Mavericks because it was the evening they retired the jersey of Dirk Nowitzki.
The Mavericks franchise is long and storied and there have been many great players who have played on the court for them.
Dirk Nowitzki…No. 41. 🔥✊ pic.twitter.com/BuWyv9D5EQ
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) January 6, 2022
Yet, the debate should be over: Nowitzki is the greatest Mavericks player to ever do it.
While he has competition, especially from the modern-day phenom Luka Doncic, no one can rival Nowitzki’s legacy as the best Dallas player ever.
Numbers Don’t Lie
When you look at the statistics and victories of Nowitzki’s career, you will see that not only is he the best Mavericks player ever, he’s arguably the best Dallas professional sports star too.
What did Nowitzki accomplish during his 21-year tenure with the Mavericks?
- 14-time All-Star
- 12-time All-NBA (four times on the First Team)
- MVP (2006-2007)
- NBA Champion (2011)
- Finals MVP (2011)
- Sixth all-time in points
The fact that Nowitzki led the team to the 2011 championship is a huge deal that can not be understated.
It was the first NBA Finals win for the team and only the second time the team was victorious in the Western Conference Finals.
As you know, there is no greater honor than winning the Finals, and the fact that Nowitzki was a pivotal part of making that happen for Dallas would be enough to secure him in the history of the team.
Additionally, no one else in Mavericks history has won both league MVP and Finals MVP.
Those are some high accolades and simply haven’t been surpassed by anyone else.
No One Like Dirk
Even if Nowitzki never won a championship, he would still be one of the best players to ever walk on the Mavericks’ court.
He’s a player unlike any other.
Simply put, people of Nowitzki’s size don’t play the game as he did.
He is a seven-footer who played like he was a good foot smaller than he was.
Throwing it back to Dirk Nowitzki's first thirty point game as he scored 31 on 12/19 shooting November 23rd 1999!https://t.co/xPrVHYth9m
— NBA (@NBA) November 12, 2015
To this day, he is known for his jump-back shot that fell from anywhere on the court.
Of course, his size was also used to his advantage too: the man was a beast in the paint and an absolute unit on defense.
In the history of the Mavericks, no player was like Nowitzki.
His Competition
Now, this isn’t to say that Nowitzki is the only great Mavericks legend.
There are plenty of other players who would be in the top five and ten standings – they just can’t overtake Nowitzki.
Who else sits towards the top of the list?
1980s staple Rolando Blackman is second across the board in many stats for the Mavs, such as points scored, minutes played, and field goals made.
Jason Terry received Sixth Man of the Year honors in 2008-2009 and was instrumental in the success of the team during that era.
Jason Kidd and Steve Nash are also in the conversation.
Of course, you have to talk about Doncic too.
The Mavericks are unquestionably Doncic’s team right now, he is the leader of the squad and the star player.
And there is a good chance that in a few years, he may rival for the title of the great player in Mavericks history.
However, for now, that honor rests solely with Nowitzki – and it’s not even close.
NEXT: Luka Doncic Carries Real Power With The Mavericks
