Top 50: Dirk Nowitzki, no. 9
The definitive ranking of the NBA’s best players.
by Emry DowningHall / @EmryBib
I know what you’re thinking, and honestly, I can’t blame you. Before I go and make the case for the most versatile 7-footer in NBA history, I thought I’d combat any initial disse
nt by channeling my inner Nowitzki to see if he can save me the trouble:
“Klar, obwohl wir mit zwei zu null in den Finals fuehrten, haben wir am Ende verloren. In der naechsten Saison haben wir zwar die meisten Spiele gewonnen, sind aber in der ersten Runde der Playoffs ausgeschieden. Was soll ich dazu sagen? Nelly und JAX hatten es einfach drauf. Natuerlich will man solche Rueckschlaege am liebsten aus dem Lebenslauf streichen, aber im Basketball musst Du auch manchmal Hoehen und Tiefen erleben. Unterm Strich bin ich der vielseitigste 2-Meter-Mann in der Geschichte der NBA. Keiner kein mir das Wasser reichen und ich werde jeden Tag besser. Emry, uebernimm mal …”
Scheisse, apparently my inner-Nowitzki speaks German. Unfortunately, I don’t, so let me give it a shot on my own.
There’s no getting around the fact that this 7-0, high-arching assassin has two demerits on his N.B.A. legacy. First, the Mavericks lost the 2006 NBA Finals after holding a 2-0, and nearly a 3-0, lead against Dwyane Wade, the officiating crew, and the Miami Heat.
The following season the Mavericks posted the League’s best record, 6th best in NBA history, only to bow out in the 1st round against Nelly and the Golden State Warriors. The series was an absolute nightmare for the Mavericks and Nowitzki, who struggled to adjust to the myriad of scheme coverages Nelly threw at him, losing in six games.
The 2007 postseason disappointment was put under extended review when Nowitzki was honored with the league’s MVP award 10 days later. Even while receiving the highest honor an individual can achieve at the highest level of professional basketball, it was obvious he was struggling to put a positive spin on the Maurice Podoloff trophy.
I could use this graph to hurl a slew of clichés regarding putting it all in the rearview, or using failure as motivation going forward, but I’m not going that route. These are the facts. Nowitzki has never made excuses, so it would be moot for me to do that for him. My job is to explain why his position at No. 9 on the SLAMonline Top 50 is justified, and there’s plenty of fodder for that.
Check the resume; he is literally un-guardable at 7-feet tall with unlimited range on his shot. For his career, he’s getting 23 points, 9 rebounds, 87 percent free throw, 3 dimes and 1 block every time he suits up. Hands down, the most popular international player not hailing from a country with a population of 1.3 billion, and the first non-North American MVP in league history. Of his 11 years in the league, he’s been named to an All-NBA team nine times, including a first team selection in 2009.
It’s important to note that just because a 7-footer doesn’t make his living exclusively on the block, that doesn’t automatically qualify him as soft. Nowitzki actually has an outstanding history of durability, playing in at least 76 games every season, other than his first year in the league. He has what’s become an almost mythical ability to return from injury. As Mavericks athletic trainer Casey Smith explained to Mark Stein in 2008: “It’s not necessarily that Dirk is a fast healer. He’s back playing so fast because he does everything possible to return as quickly as possible and because he is by far one of the toughest players I’ve ever worked with. Everyone thinks that once he’s back on the court that he’s healed up, but in reality he usually deals with his injuries for days or even weeks after returning.”
Many years removed for their futility, people forget Dirk’s role in turning around what was easily the worst franchise in professional sports. As a frame of reference, think back to the original arcade version of NBA JAM. With the countless number of quarters you pumped into that machine, did you ever once play as the Mavericks? Did anyone, ever? Remember how they used to rank the popularity of each team at each location? With respect to Derek Harper and Mike Iuzzolino, I’m pretty certain Dallas was last everywhere, even in Dallas.
A Don Nelson-orchestrated draft day fleecing of the Bucks and Suns landed future MVPs Steve Nash and Nowitzki in Dallas, and the foundation for transformation was in place.
While it’s easy to point to Nowitzki’s playoff shortcomings, people rarely mention a young Dirk leading Dallas past Stockton and Malone in the 2001 playoffs - questionable haircut and all – for the franchise’s first playoff series win since 1988. Or the 2006 Western Conference Semifinals 7 game victory against a Spurs team that will make a case for being the franchise of the decade.
Sure, none of that matters if you’re not hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy when the final buzzer sounds, but you’re crazy if you don’t think Nowitzki co-signs on that sentiment.
Reached via-email in reaction to Nowitzki landing No. 9 on the SLAMonline Top 50, Mark Cuban offered his thoughts on Dirk’s impact and legacy as a Maverick: “Dirk is the face of this franchise. We never would have been able to accomplish anything without him. He is a cornerstone not just on the court, but in setting the culture of the organization as well.”
While Cuban’s support of his favorite import comes as no surprise, it also doesn’t make his statement any less valid.
Notes
• Rankings are based solely on projected ‘09-10 performance.
• Contributors to this list include: Jake Appleman, Brett Ballantini, Russ Bengtson, Toney Blare, Shannon Booher, Myles Brown, Franklyn Calle, Gregory Dole, Emry DowningHall, Jonathan Evans, Adam Fleischer, Jeff Fox, Sherman Johnson, Aaron Kaplowitz, John Krolik, Holly MacKenzie, Ryne Nelson, Chris O’Leary, Ben Osborne, Alan Paul, Susan Price, Sam Rubenstein, Khalid Salaam, Kye Stephenson, Adam Sweeney, Vincent Thomas, Tzvi Twersky, Justin Walsh, Joey Whelan, Eric Woodyard, and Nima Zarrabi.
• Want more of the SLAMonline Top 50? Check out the archive
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Dirk is #5 only behind Kobe, Wade, LBJ and D12!!!
*shakes his head in disgust*
He kills Pau.
We’re talking about future output, OKC still blows, KD is probably going to take every shot.
What in the world is Carmello going to be doing to get this high on the list?
The fact that Durant is alone on his team (hense boosting his required production) and the fact that the Mavs got another scorer + rebounder (Marion) means that KD’s production is only going to increase with his skills while Dirk’s will lower with age and a more crowded team.
The projected rankings never said another about a team’s success.
I just think it sucks that the fifth best player in the -WORLD- right now gets pushed back over here because of it.
this is the average of 31 Slam writers’ ballots, right? (i’m sure i read that). i can understand one or two of them rating Durant over Dirk, but for him to average out lower - wow. agree with Darksaber, this must be Khalid’s fault…
i’d have him at number 6, personally. it’s kinda comical how “underrated” he is. but there are always anti-Dirk comments flying around - those two “demerits” are a horrible stain on an otherwise outstanding legacy
Although Durant being higher then Dirk is a bit redonk.
I feel like this top 50 list is essentially a fantasy NBA list anyway (based on stats more than value to team).
@Jukai….:can’t participate, don’t know the rules, don’t know much about the NBA, don’t trust/worship statistics,ain’t good in maths,etc….
Lebron
Kobe
Wade
Howard
Dirk
Paul
Duncan
Anthony
….
This list would make sense in a lot more ways than one which is concerned with the probable statisical output for next season which has dirk behind duncan… and don’t get me started on durant or anthony…
I owe you five dollars.
(2005–2007, 2009)
1. LeBron
2. Kobe
3. D-Wade
4. Dwight Howard
5. Dirk
We straight.
Just saying..
If he is, KG is the most versatile 7-footer in NBA history given everything he can do on BOTH sides of the ball.
7. That one guy in your school who’s really good but can never hold his sh*t together long enough to become a meaningful part of the team which is a waste of his talent that he’ll realize at the age of 40 when it’s too late and he’ll cry whatever’s left of his sorry soul to sleep nightly like an eternal curse
6. Replacement refs
5. Dodge Charger
4. Kobe
3. Wade
2. LeBron
1. Sasha Vujacic
Thanks for making everybody hate two of the leagues most promising up and coming players.
KD is on the list. Probably 7 or 8.
Team Jacky
The Mavs lost because they forgot how to defend the high pick and roll.
They did the same thing the next year and lost to the Warriors.
Dirk is clutch. Really, he is. He’s soft, but he’s not a choker.
dirk’s a hell of a player during any point of a game!
His rep for being soft is not.
He’s soft, but he’s not a choker. He’s just not a rah-rah leader guy who is going to get on his teammates and make them do what they need to do. Plus, there are times when he doesn’t exactly exude confidence.
But, Dirk has hit clutch baskets his whole career. I used to be on team anti-Dirk because I thought he was being overhyped for a while, but now I think he has a bad rep in many ways. Sure, he could be a better defender, passer and post player, but he’s a helluva scorer regardless and he gets on the glass as well. That fadeway is pretty much unstoppable unless you bother him before the catch.
at the same time, i’m surprised that some people are putting him top 5 ahead of CP3 or Dwight. really?
Anthony?? Durant?? Duncan even? Oh boy, now I’m actually really curious to see the rankings of the individual writers to see whats up.
If you think Dirk ain’t soft, you’re the one wearing goggles.
Being soft is not the worst thing in the world. Doesn’t mean you can’t be a great player. But, he’s soft.
However, I would still take Tim Duncan over Dirk. Kevin Garnett MAYBE. For years people have been saying that Tim Duncan is old, but he always brings the pain come playoff time.
2.Wade
3.Kobe
4.Chris Paul
5.Dwight
6.Durant
7.Melo
8.Timmy NOW WHAT IT SHOULD BE: 1.Kobe
2.Wade
3.LeBron
4.Paul
5.Dirk
6.Timmy
7.Dwight
8.Melo
9.Durant
By the way Derrick Rose over Billups is crazy (just had to throw that in)
2.Kobe
3.Dwade
4.Dwight
5.CP3
6.Dirk
7.Melo
8.Durant
9.Duncan
Now about Dirk - he is great player, but how is he better than Duncan? Duncan LED his team to 4 championships, and Dirk couldn’t beat Wade, with Mavericks being obviously superior to Heat. Referees? Did you guys watch 2006 west semis, when referees fouled out Duncan for no reason in one game which Spurs lost in the final minutes, or last seconds of the game 7, in regulation, when Duncan was going for a layup and Dirk pretty much BOTH HIS HANDS (he was nowhere near the ball) and didn’t get a call? If referees where good in West semis, they were good in Finals as well. And when Wade and even Shaq were making every single of their FT at the end of game 3, the best shooting big men missed his FT, which pretty much would have clinched the championship. Did any of you see Duncan in clutch (2008 first round, the latest).
I know, argument is that Dirk is good NOW, and that Duncan is old. Again, did you guys watch the games, when Duncan, with his hurting knees and No NBA player on his team but Parker, still dropped 30 on Mavericks in his 2009 last playoff game? Duncan is not Howard, he is not athletic, he is skilled, his stats are almost the same for the last 4-5 years, and probably will stay the same for the next 2-3 years. If his stats were better or equal to Nowitzki’s with his knees hurting, why do not expect him to be better this year, when reportedly he feels great and his knees are fine?
Don’t get me wrong, Nowitzki is great basketball player (better than Durant or Carmelo or Pau at this point, in my opinion), but to declare as an universal truth that he is better than Duncan? I don’t know, that will require a lot of proof, and this proof simply does not exist as of today.
But come on now, Dirk Nowitzki is a “big man” only because he’s a 7 footer; he can’t nearly do anything that Tim Duncan does in the low-post. Dirk is great because he is a match-up nightmare with his skillset combined with his size.
Pau is valuable as a teammate. He is a great passing bigman, runs the floor fantastically, and let’s face it, his defense this year has improved DRASTICALLY (not just proven in the finals, but read all that came out of the European basketball championship… Pau worked it out).
Likewise, as much as you guys don’t like to admit it, Duncan has diminished. That’s why Dirk was first team all NBA. His man-on-man defense is great, but Duncan isn’t mobile enough to be the team defender he once was. His post shots and midrange game is streakier, depending on how his knees are feeling that day. I don’t know, he sort of was a non-factor in the playoffs…
Duncan has also never been able to stop Dirk, ever. But that’s just a side point.
And if you limit him, he still scores 20 with 10 and a lower shooting percentage.
I’m okay with people giving Duncan more value right now but it is a really close argument to me.
1. Tim Duncan
2. Karl Malone
3. Kevin Garnett
4. Charles Barkley
5. Elvin Hayes
6. Kevin McHale
7. Bob Pettit
8. Dave DeBusschere
9. Bob McAdoo
10. Dirk Nowitzki
Which is pretty much identical to the list I gave out last time where people lambasted me for putting Dirk at number 10.
There just ain’t a lot of great power forwards in history. Sorry Lucas/Hawkins/Webber/Chambers/Haywood/Rodman/Kemp/Wallace
@ Darksaber….:i couldn’t seriously put Dirk and “Vare…who??” in the same sentence for the same reason i cannot put Manu or Calderon in the same sentence with the shoe-seller(there we go again….). I have always been confused/sad with what happened to Dirk and to our nat*onal team: we never (since Gallis…) had a top-10 in the w*rld player/scorer/leader (discussions on Dirk’s leadership/clutch abilities are simply laughable) in our dispotition but for the last 10 years we are blessed with 6 to 8 exceptionally good/smart(in bball terms) players.At the exact same period Dirk has been alone(Nichagbatche, Femerling,Okoulaja wouldn’t even make it to the end of our bench) achieving M-I-R-A-C-L-E-S (3 place in 2002, 2 place in 2005). I think that our team was a Dirk (or even Pau) away of having exactly the same success with Spain or Argentina the last decade….(we are just behind them anyway…..)
It has great merit what Dirk has done with the National Team Regarding Greece, they have achieved great things as well, Spain beat them clutch in the last tournaments but used to be our nightmare
I remember this game as I jumped up and down through the app.
And Pan is right that besides Okulaja no other German would probably make the first 8 to 12 on teams like USA, Spain, Argentina, Greece and they still managed to finish strong and overachieve thanks to Dirk.
If I had to pick players only for The Worlds and Olympics right now to build a team around, Dirk would probably be my second pick behind Kobe.
What the hell has Melo or Durant done to match those kind of accolades?
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