The Dallas Mavericks haven’t seen nearly as much success as the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, or Spurs. Still, they have a history laced with greatness, and it’s worth talking about.
Recently, one of their biggest stars (Dirk Nowitzki) paid homage to his former team’s legends by revealing his list of the five greatest Mavericks ever.
The lineup will not surprise you.
“It’s difficult so I would go small. Steve Nash at the one than J-Kidd at the two. He is big enough now that he can also play the two. Michael Finley at the three. Luka goes at the four and I got over to the five.”
All-in-all, it’s a solid list from the 14x All-Star.
Starting with Steve Nash, we all know he is mostly remembered for his time in Phoenix, where he won two MVPs and led several Suns teams deep into the playoffs. But it was in Dallas where he first blossomed into a star. In six seasons with the team, he averaged 14.6 points, 7.2 assists, and 0.9 steals per game on 46% shooting. He made the All-Star team twice.
The story is similar for Jason Kidd. Most of his career was spent with the Nets, but he made his first All-Star team as a sophomore in Dallas, averaging 16.6 points and 9.7 assists at 22-years-old. By the time he retired in 2013, he was considered one of the best point guards in league history.
The same cannot be said for Michael Finley. While some might be wondering how he earned a shoutout from Dirk, he had an undeniably great run with the Mavs. From Finley’s rookie season in 1995-96 to 2001, he never missed a game and, in 9 years with the Mavericks, he averaged nearly 20 points per game. Finley was named an All-Star twice while wearing a Mavs jersey.
The only active player on the list, Luka Doncic is the modern-day face of the Mavericks. The young stud still has a lot to prove, but his natural talent and abilities are enough to warrant him a spot on Dirk’s list. He’s one of the best scorers in the game and has the potential to bring the Mavericks a level of success they haven’t seen in many years.
Finally, there’s Dirk. Any list that includes the greatest Mavericks players ever has to have him. Besides being an unstoppable force in his day, Nowitzki gets credit for bringing something to the team nobody else has ever done: a Championship. That win in 2011 stands as the only title in Mavericks history, and it was under Dirk’s leadership that they pulled it off.
Today, the Wurzburg native is still remembered and revered for his role in bringing glory to Dallas basketball. But as a widely respected franchise, there is hope that even better days are ahead for the Mavericks and that more players like Dirk, Luka, and Nash will come to call the city their home.
