The Dallas Mavericks didn’t have much history before the 2000s, but one superstar changed everything.
While the Mavericks have been in the headlines over the past six months for their puzzling decision to trade Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, they used to be in the headlines for their other international superstar. Before Doncic joined the squad in 2018, two decades of Dirk Nowitzki’s greatness was the story in Dallas.
From 1998-2019, Nowitzki was the face of the franchise and carried the team to heights it had never seen before. While anyone in Dallas can still attest to Nowitzki’s greatness, it appears he might still be underrated by the national media.
Still Getting Disrespected in Retirement
In CBS Sports’ All-Quarter Century teams, listing the top players at each position since 2000, the outlet named Nowitzki to the third team. Coming in behind Giannis Antetokounmpo at power forward, there are some clear questions about Nowitzki’s placement.
While Antetokounmpo certainly has a case for the second team, it almost seems disrespectful to place him above Nowitzki, who has almost an entire extra decade of work. Although Antetokounmpo has one more MVP, their overall peaks are quite similar.
Nowitzki has seen more postseason success, leading Dallas to two NBA Finals in his career, including winning the 2011 title, which is viewed by many as the most valuable championship in league history. Battling through the defending champion Lakers, young Thunder and Big 3 Heat, Nowitzki’s 2011 title run is arguably the most impressive in league history.
While Nowitzki doesn’t have the accolades to compete with Tim Duncan for the first team spot, his resume likely should have warranted his inclusion on the second team.
