Dirk Nowitzki: Luka Doncic is more savvy than I was at that age | The Jump
Rachel Nichols sits down with Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki to talk about his storied NBA career, whether the 2018-19 NBA season is his last, his rookie season, Mavs rookie Luka Doncic, his 1990s throwback birthday party, winning the 2011 NBA Finals, and more.
✔ Subscribe to ESPN on YouTube: http://es.pn/SUBSCRIBEtoYOUTUBE
✔ Subscribe to ESPN FC on YouTube: http://bit.ly/SUBSCRIBEtoESPNFC
✔ Subscribe to NBA on ESPN on YouTube: http://bit.ly/SUBSCRIBEtoNBAonESPN
✔ Watch ESPN on YouTube TV: http://es.pn/YouTubeTV
ESPN on Social Media:
► Follow on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/espn
► Like on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/espn
► Follow on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/espn
Visit ESPN on YouTube to get up-to-the-minute sports news coverage, scores, highlights and commentary for NFL, NHL, MLB, NBA, College Football, NCAA Basketball, soccer and more.
More on ESPN.com: http://www.espn.com
*Luka Doncic is the best rookie in the last 5 years, don’t @ me haters.*
+Dymez Simmons wasn’t a rookie last year tho……..
That maybe true but being Rookie of the Year doesn’t always equate to being an NBA Legend, many rookies and number #1 picks have fallen off, especially in the NBA. NBA and Golf are like the only major sports were you have many one-hit wonders.
k p nAh cuz doncic can shoot he cant
What about drose and brandon roy
+Dymez That’s when you know you’re a newbie to basketball using fg%. Shouldn’t Simmons shoot higher than that since he only plays in the paint? Look at true shooting bro.
when dirk retires #41 gotta go with him who agrees???
He should retire #41 at the age 41
in Dallas easily yes
No shit
Luka The Don is the next dirk and next mavs great mark my words
Luka The Don huh, I like it
… and traded.
+Mr Hater that doesn’t really mean much considering this is dirk. literally every promising player had a better nba start and was more complete when they started.
its no secret dirk was overwhelmed with the nba in his first year so obviously everytime anyone gets compared to dirk its always the same “he is already better than dirk was in his rookie year” nonsense. yea no shit sherlock but does he have the same work ethic? can he stay healthy. will he improve? can he survive 20 years when only 7 players in league’s history ever managed to play that long?
J Lee he even looks like an American version of dirk
So you think Luca will break into top 7 EVER in scoring With 32,000 pts like Dirk. He’s really good but not close to any real historical importance yet.
Luka will have to dirk one leg shot like dirk along with his step back jumper as well
They are not the same heights but still
If luka practice it more consistently, it would be deadly even if he does a fade away 3
No can do, he is 6’7
J Lee ooowwee imagine that???
Luka did it many times already, but I agree that he should perfect that one leg fadeaway to become his deadly offensive weapon like Dirk did.
Who was waiting for Dirk to talk about Luka
“Now that’s sexy”
Fruit booty announcer?
I resepct this legend so much and I’m so glad he beat my Miami heat for his revenge!
Dirk in a word “Class”… That’s what he represented for me at least… He is a class act!
Beast3517 Are you serious bruh I love Dirk but I would never be glad to lose a championship to anyone happy he got a ring but didn’t want him to do it against us
+Wolverine Heat deep down inside you know you cool with it lol
+Wolverine Heat I don’t know if you understand, but if the Heat didn’t lose this Finals they would probably not had the confidence and motivation to win the next two.
+Beast3517 Honestly we had no business losing to the Mavs when we were more talented team and when LeBron was in Miami the expectation was to win the title every season until he left with the Spurs being the exception since we played them back to back years
Dirk > KG
dork > kd and kristaps porzinjury.
Garnett was a better defender and more athletic. He wasn’t better than KG, stop it.
KG was a little better most of their career… but that 2011 rub pushed him ahead of him all time. Pushed him ahead of a lot of people
Defense wins championships, but Offense is the best defense. When they matched up in the playoffs in the early 00s, Dirk averaged like 30-15 against KG. Whenever they meet, Dirk decides to go supernova.
And many people have already mentioned the way he won a title. I say Dirk is better. Coming from a entirely different country, to now being who he is has to factor into all that.
Rasheed wallace over dirk and kg
Damn u Dirk. U just had to ruin Kobe’s legacy lol
none name girl stop.
Calm down Kobetards. You sheep have been whining a lot these past few weeks
+4browsing lol if lebrons best teammate was Pau Gasol maybe thn u would understand
Not ruin they are both of the same cloth. We gone miss plsyers like them. #SameTeam #Loyalty
he ain’t ruin shit Kobe got 5 rings smh
Dirk is the GOAT for beating the “not 7 not 8” HEAT.
+Neel Pendyala what a witty response. I see you are a Level 1 Troll. Keep it up and you may hit level 2 soon
+el loco coco im not a Jordan Stan…but no one can argue his defense. Could he stop Dirks pull up? No. But off the dribble Dirk would be done
+Kevin Kohoutek hometown fans arent a barometer of greatness.
Q Hamilton yea man im just messin around. Dirk couldn’t gaurd Jordan either. But Jordan would probably not even let him get the ball the start
+Q Hamilton you were crying about people using the word “GOAT” but what they are trying to say is that what Dirk did in the 2011 postseason is GOAT status…that’s what goats do…just accept greatness and stop worrying about semantics dammit
Dirk’s one ring means more than if KD wins 100 at GS
I would say its worth more than Lebron with Cleveland also, because he lost in 06 and stuck around through highs and lows until they broke through in 2011
Christopher facts
+Kisembe Namusyule This is why I am glad to say I have never bought off into a so-called individual player winning championships. Michael Jordan did not win a championship by himself. If he did this, why he did not do this in the earlier part of his career where he played better as an individual player. Michael Jordan’s individual numbers were much better in the 80’s. He never won a championship with them. I believe Teams and Organization wins championships. If one player could do this, then Wilt Chamberlain would have won more championships than any other players.
+G23Farrakhan52 94 Hakeem won by himself, the NY Knicks should have won in 4 or 5 easily. It’s shocking it went 7 games. Also go look at MJ’s early rosters cocaine addicts, players who were in their prime in the early ’70s, and players who team tank with. MJ led them to be as good as they could be. Also, MJ was deemed the GOAT during the summer before his rookie season because of his performance in the Olympic blue and white exhibition games. Then averaged 28 points as a rookie, then dropped 63 on the 86 Celtics who some deem as the greatest team roster wise of all time. Also, his stats from 84 to 89 are 1.8 points higher than from 89-90 to 97-98, MJ throughout his bulls run was consistently around 32 pts 6rebs 5ast 2stls 1blk. That never changed that’s why when Scottie finally ascended to an Allstar level player They take Detroit 7 games then the next year they go 6 rings in 8 years. We have this tendency these days to undervalue MJ’s greatness, which I’m confused as to why. He was the best defender, scorer, and leader of his era he never choked and kept many Hall of Famers from winning rings. Also, keep in mind the Pistons, and Lakers were not old when the Bulls started winning rings. Magic, Isaiah, Joe Dumars, & MJ were all roughly the same age. As for Wilt Chamberlain, it’s simple he choked in big moments of big games. He played alongside Hall Of Famers throughout his career. Like Nate Thurmond, He played with as many HOF’ers as Bill Russell. He just wasn’t as good at closing big games as Russell.
And also means more than Lebron’s 2 rings in Miami??♂️
I love this guy
Yep beating Lebron and the other Allstars on that team for the chip was one of my favorite championships.
+Goose 007 Oh yeah I forgot to explain the reason. In 2011 when Dirk was sick Wade and Lebron was mocking Dirk on an interview you search it in youtube but as we know they got destroyed
+Goose 007 But yes Wade was getting calls even though he wasn’t hit like shit 26 free throws he was the James Harden of 2006 and you must have seen when he was on the bulls and suddenly he got fouled hy Cousins who didn’t even touch him again you can search it in Youtube
+Rated Zigs that was before i was an nba fan, cant really relate to that sorry
+Séverin Baschung It’s ok man but it really hurt watching Dirk frustrated
Got past Kobe too
This is my legend. His one chip is worth three. He went through all the elite players to win his title.
Obviously Dirk’s team wasn’t full of “bums”, but he legitimately did not have another All Star level player on that team. Shawn Marion and Jason Kidd were out of their primes by then. And look at the teams he had to go through. Even the Blazers in the first round were a tough draw, they had a ton of talent on that team and many even picked them to beat Dallas
1. Lakers, back to back champs with Kobe/Bynum/Gasol/Artest/Odom
2. Thunder with Westbrook, Harden, and Durant
3. Heat with The Big Three, who went on to win back to back the next two years
Sure, Carlisle did some amazing coaching, Chandler was a DPOY candidate, and they had a lot of savvy veteran leadership on the team. But it’s still the most incredible path to a title I’ve ever seen
Dirk’s ring > Lebron’s and KD’s rings
White Supremacist……The Great White Hope Syndrome. And it is a phoney one. It used to be for Americans only. The old WS GWH would never accept non Americans.
+G23Farrakhan52 wtf you talking about lol
+RoCkEtBoY Saany stfu stop hating on dirk
Got teary eye’d at the end talking about winning the championship. Whenever he retires, I’m ready to bawl my eyes out, jeeeeeeeez
he playing for 21 more yrs
I’m not prepared for his retirement??
Hate to be the one who points this out but dirks teeth are 10 times whiter than Lukas
M0ebius it’s only a couple of gs actually
Because He has his own ones:-)
Because those are implants and veneers. And luka still has his own (which is way more natural imho). Happens if you get them beaten time and time again. I remember when he got them first.
Sheen Estivez yeah it’s only a couple gs but when you dont make millions like dirk it might not be in your budget or your priority
They aren’t real. He got his front teeth knocked out by Carl Landry’s elbow if I remember correctly.
Who doesn’t love Dirk. Damn. This guy is awesome
Yeah he is
I’m a Lakers die hard,but that season the Mavs won it all was something else, and Dirk’s play was absolutely phenomenal.
Dirk is the classiest player in the league by far, the games gonna miss him when he’s gone ✊?
David Bagga – The MILLENNIAL Sales Recruiter classier than Duncan, I think. Seems more real.
When Dirk was awared the Silbernes Lorbeerblatt’ (‘Silver Bay Leaf’), the highest official decoration for German athletes, in the President’s Office in Berlin, he reportedly left the award ceremony taking the public bus. Talking about real…
Sorry Dirk you’re gonna have to repeat all that I don’t speak ?
he should have 2, got cheated in ’06
Javyon Hanson true, but mannn it makes that championship even that much better.