When a normal fan takes a look at Dirk Nowitzki, they see a player with a great jump shot that has been in the league for a long time. But, the truth of the matter is that Dirk is moving up in the ranks of the all-time greatest players to play the game of basketball. Of course he isn’t Michael Jordan, and he may not even be Larry Bird, but Nowitzki deserves consideration of being in the top-ten echelon where the legends reside.
So where can we rank Dirk?
Here are the quick credentials on the power forward. The 32-year-old from West Germany came into the league in 1998 after being drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks but packaged to Dallas in return for the late Robert “Tractor” Traylor. Since his arrival in D-town, Nowitzki has consistently averaged 23 points a game and over eight rebounds a game. He is a ten-time All-Star selection including being a four-time All-NBA first team recipient.
So, there are currently three NBA players that are still playing that are or very close to the top-ten: Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and Tim Duncan.
O’Neal has been hailed as one of, perhaps the greatest centers of all-time. His beastly frame allowed him to overpower defenders and make the paint his. He claimed four titles, with three coming with his counterpart Kobe Bryant back in the early 2000’s. With the help of Phil Jackson, Shaq used the triangle offense to make him into a high-scoring machine and the diva of the NBA.
Along with Shaq came Kobe Bean Bryant, a superstar to say the least. Bryant came to Los Angeles with a cocky attitude and a desire to win. He did just that. Although Kobe has had his fair share of controversy in his time as a Laker, he can proudly flaunt his five NBA titles in any doubter’s face. Kobe has made a career on being a clutch performer who thrives in a late game situation. The prolific shooter who has it all is easily in the top-five greatest of all time.
Then, there is the humble and quiet Tim Duncan. The man of the bunch that people seem to skim over when they mention greatest players of all-time. Selected number one overall in the 1997 NBA Draft, Duncan had a target on his back to carry a franchise into the playoffs. Two years after he was drafted, Duncan led the Spurs to an NBA title. He has since done that three more times with talent similar to what Nowitzki has to play with right now. He has earned MVP honors twice while being one of the best interior defenders and selected as a first-team all-NBA nine times.
There is one thing that all three of these guys have that Dirk doesn’t have yet. That’s an NBA championship.
The 2011 NBA playoffs is the epitome of where Nowitzki can end up in terms of all-time greatness. He is still without a title but that could change soon if the Mavericks get the finals and take care of business. The team that Mark Cuban and company put together this year is sub-par compared to the team they had a few years back when the Mavs took on the Heat in the NBA Finals.
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The current team features an aging point guard past his prime, an overpaid shooting guard that comes off the bench that continues to be the second leading scorer on the team, and a center that Dallas got from the Charlotte Bobcats for almost nothing in return. It’s a team on life support in terms of age, with almost every player being past the golden years of their career. This Mavs team does have something that other teams in the NBA don’t have, ultimate team chemistry. They trust one another and gel together perfectly.
Dirk has almost single-handedly driven his team to the playoffs for 11 consecutive seasons. Nowitzki has once again carried his team through the trenches, including two 40-point performances in this series against the Oklahoma City Thunder. He has the ability to fight off defenders and go to the free-throw line more often than anyone else.
If Dirk can snag the title this year, in one of the greatest seasons in recent memories in the NBA…in a year where egos like LeBron headed to South Beach and Kobe’s game began to fade…in a year where the youth seemed to have it all in teams like the Bulls, Thunder, and others, it would be an amazing accomplishment and put Nowitzki in the top-ten players in the history of the game.