Dirk Nowitzki spoke to BasketNews about his dream 3×3 lineup, naming a stacked group with Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kevin Durant leading this imaginary lineup.
“I’m a big Michael Jordan fan. He was my hero growing up, my idol, so I’ve got to pick Michael Jordan. Can’t go wrong with LeBron. I love Kevin Durant because he can score inside, he can step out, he’s tall, he can guard.”
“In 3×3, size matters because there’s a lot of switching. Small guards will be a little tough in 3×3., so it’s gotta be bigger guys who can play and make plays for themselves. I’d have to say Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant, and LeBron, there’s tons of good players.”
(Starts at 1:30)
This would probably be the best 3×3 lineup you could put together. MJ, LeBron, and Durant would be far too offensively potent for any team to stop. The only way to get consistent buckets against them would be to have a bruising center in the middle, but both Durant and James have played at center in their careers. Jordan might be smaller, but the former DPOY would easily cover anyone off at the perimeter.
Given that 3×3 teams have to have a fourth player on the roster, I would just put a prime Nowitzki as the fourth given this was his team. He would be an absolute offensive terror as an unguardable threat, but he’d be the weakest link defensively due to his limited perimeter switching ability.
Dirk could be a good option to throw in instead of Durant if they need a more physical inside presence, but neither player would qualify as a bruising big man.
The only way this team would lose is if they had to go up against a frontcourt with Tim Duncan and Hakeem Olajuwon, but they’re so offensively potent that it still might be impossible to defeat them, even if you give Duncan and Olajuwon Kobe Bryant as their third.
Dirk Nowitzki Watching German Basketball Thrive
Nowitzki has been in attendance for almost every basketball event at the 2024 Paris Olympics, watching the German women’s 3×3 team secure Gold in the event. The men’s team is in the semi-finals of their event as well, facing France with a win guaranteeing the first Olympic medal for German basketball.
Nowitzki has said the current German national team is arguably the best generation in the nation’s history when asked if the 2024 Olympic team could beat his 2005 EuroBasket Silver-medal winning squad.
“I think this team is pretty strong. I think they’re a very good generation, probably the best team German basketball has ever had. They’re long, deep, playmakers, shooters, athletic, and strong on defense. You saw it when Greece could barely score in the second half. This is a tough bunch and I’m not sure if we would’ve stood a chance, but we would have given them a fight.”
Germany are being led by Dennis Schroder at the Olympics, with the guard also leading Germany to the FIBA World Cup Gold medal last season. He’s flanked by talented players such as the Wagner brothers (Franz and Moritz), Daniel Theis, and former NBA player Isaac Bonga, among others.
They face France in the semi-final, with Germany sitting one win away from the Gold medal game against the winner of USA vs. Serbia.
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