LeBron James Calls Dirk Nowitzki The Greatest International Player Ever

LeBron James has crowned Dirk Nowitzki as the greatest international player ever after losing to the Mavericks on Christmas Day.

4 Min Read

Credit: Fadeaway World

LeBron James and Dirk Nowitzki are among two of the most unlikely rivals in the NBA. However, the one year they battled in the NBA Finals became a defining series for both men. Nowitzki completed a long and arduous journey to become an NBA champion, while LeBron realized a superteam wasn’t enough until he changed his approach to the game.

Dirk and LeBron weren’t good friends but evidently have had incredible respect for each other. Nowitzki admitted that LeBron might be the greatest of all time if he crossed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in scoring. Meanwhile, LeBron also hailed Dirk as a GOAT, but for international players after seeing Nowitzki get a statue outside the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

“Dirk was a legend, an icon. He is the greatest international player of all time, I put him right there with Manu. What he brought here, to this city (Dallas), that boy was cold man. Dirk was cold, man. He revolutionized what a stretch 4 big can look like. He could put the ball on the ground, finish above the rim in his early years, and then master that in-between game, then he started taking it to the 3-point line. You couldn’t put someone small on him because he was too big and you couldn’t put a slow-footed big man on him because he was too quick. You could also never block his shot because he shot it behind his head, kinda Larry Bird-esque. When you talk about Dirk as an all-time power forward, he’s right up there with Charles Barkley, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett, Kevin McHale, and all those guys.”

There are many international players that have achieved a lot in the NBA. Hakeem Olajuwon is probably the most notable, with Giannis Antetokounmpo dominating now. Manu Ginobili and Dirk would probably make up the Mount Rushmore of international legends in the NBA. 


Dirk Nowitzki Gets Honored By The Mavericks

After retiring his jersey earlier this year in a moving and emotional ceremony, the Mavericks decide to permanently enshrine Nowitzki’s place as the greatest Maverick of all time by giving him an incredible statue. They have a player that could unseat Dirk as the greatest Mav ever, but there’s a long time to see what Luka Doncic ends up achieving for this franchise.

Nowitzki is expected to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame this year as a first-ballot inductee. This is fully deserved for a legend of the game who is currently working in the Mavs front office. Hopefully, he can work in a different role to bring another title to Dallas with Luka as their star player. 

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Ishaan Bhattacharya is a content manager for Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. With his expertise in NBA content creation, Ishaan brings a wealth of experience to his role, contributing to the site's authority and reach within the basketball community. Over the last year, Ishaan has interviewed Ray Allen and Mark Tatum, while also covering the 2023 NBA Abu Dhabi Games which saw the Dallas Mavericks take on the Minnesota Timberwolves.Since joining Fadeaway World in March 2022, Ishaan Bhattacharya has become known for his unique perspective on the NBA. He consistently delivers this insight through his daily news coverage and detailed opinion pieces on the most significant topics in the league.Before his tenure at Fadeaway World, Ishaan worked in corporate communications, where he serviced prominent sports brands, including NBA India, Sports18, Amazon Prime Sports, and Royal Challengers Bangalore. This experience in strategic communications for leading sports entities has enhanced his ability to craft impactful narratives and connect with a global audience.A true MFFLer (Mavs Fan for Life, for the uninitiated), Ishaan is a massive fan of the Dallas Mavericks. When he is not upset about Jalen Brunson walking in free agency, you can see Ishaan as an avid gamer and content creator. His passion for basketball extends beyond the Mavericks, as evidenced by his thoughtfully curated NBA Mount Rushmore, featuring LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Bill Russell—each representing distinct eras and bringing their unique qualities to the game.Featured On: ESPN, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher ReportYahoo Sports, NBA, Fox Sports, The Spun
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