Dirk Nowitzki is one of the greatest NBA players of all time, his career with the Dallas Mavericks has earned him a place among the very elite personalities in league history. And while a lot of those players, names like Michael Jordan, and Kobe Bryant, were all known for their great intensity, Nowitzki has always been a more laidback sort of superstar, especially off the court.
Dirk was a killer on the court, this cannot be doubted, his one-legged fadeaway was as good as unstoppable and he used it to crush opposition defense with impunity. But his calm and funny personality was showcased in his interactions with the fans and the media and it has only gotten more wholesome and apparent since his retirement in 2019.
It was on display again on Twitter, where the official account for FIBA had shared the supposed ratings of a superstar, showing extremely high offense and below-average defense. And while fans were busy naming different superstars they could roast with the graphic, Dirk took the opportunity to crack a joke at his own expense.
Can’t be me. Too many bars on defense… https://t.co/3FspNd75fx
— Dirk Nowitzki (@swish41) June 10, 2022
“Can’t be me. Too many bars on defense…”
Nowitzki was knocked for his defense for a lot of his career, although it died down after he bought in and helped lead the Mavericks to their first NBA title in franchise history. The run is widely considered one of, if not the greatest title runs in the modern era of the NBA, considering that he did it without another superstar by his side.
His humility is part of what makes Dirk so likable, there are unlikely to be many fans of the league that don’t like or respect the big German. It’s ironic that his apparent heir in Dallas, Luka Doncic, can be criticized much the same way that Nowitzki used to be, but as long as Luka continues to have Dirk for guidance, things will keep looking bright for Mavs fans.
