Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash have been occasional teammates over their careers but have been incredibly close friends for a very long time. The Dallas Mavericks acquired both Nash and Nowitzki on the day of the 1998 NBA Draft, Nowitzki was drafted by the team with the 7th pick while Nash was acquired via trade from the Phoenix Suns.
Nash was crucial to Nowitzki’s early adjustment to living in America as the pair became great friends in Nowitzki’s rookie year. They had a 6-year partnership on the Mavericks until the franchise traded him back to the Suns in 2004, where Nash broke out as a 2-time MVP. They were a scary duo but could never get over the playoff hump together.
Nowitzki would also become a league MVP and would outdo Nash by becoming a champion with the Mavs in 2011. As Nowitzki was getting married in 2012, he asked Nash to come with him for his bachelor party during the offseason. Nash revealed to GQ in 2012 that he couldn’t go and had a hilarious exchange with Dirk when he asked the German what he missed by being in Hawaii instead of at the party.
“I wanted to, but I couldn’t. They put that thing together like two weeks before they had it, and I’d already booked a trip to Hawaii months ago and I couldn’t cancel. I couldn’t swing it. I was bummed. I called him afterward to get all the details and was like, “Alright, so what happened?” And he played it all cool and said, “Ah, you didn’t miss much, man.” He’s lying. He’s definitely lying.” (h/t GQ)
That would have been a legendary night that Nash missed out on. Knowing Dirk and how private he is, those details will probably never come out. All that we know is that Nash probably regrets missing out on one of his closest friend’s bachelor parties.
