(Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
Dirk Nowitzki was a fan favorite during his time in the NBA.
Not only was he an NBA champion, but he was also an NBA Finals MVP, a 14-time all-star, and was selected to the All-NBA first-team on four occasions.
He was also known for his on-court personality, which has come out during the years following his retirement from the league.
Nowitzki recently appeared on the “Big Pod With Shaq,” where he talked about an experience guarding the big man, using his legendary story-telling skills.
“He elbowed [Shawn Bradley] out of the way, elbowed me out of the way, and dunked it so hard. That strategy did not work,” Nowitzki said.
“He elbowed [Shawn Bradley] out of the way, elbowed me out of the way, and dunked it so hard. That strategy did not work.”
Dirk Nowitzki on the time he had to guard Shaq
(via @bigpodwithshaq)pic.twitter.com/rFnExvA9Rw
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 9, 2024
In many ways, Nowitzki helped pave the way for the modern big man.
He was a great shooter, especially known for his fadeaway mid-range jumpers.
Shooting hasn’t always been a great trait of big men in the post, but Nowitzki did it in a graceful way that many people admired and respected.
As he indicated in this conversation with O’Neal, defense wasn’t necessarily a big part of his game.
He wasn’t a slouch of a defender by any means, but when his team needed him to guard O’Neal, he wasn’t able to make a lot of headway.
Of course, O’Neal is one of the most dominant post players in league history, so it’s difficult to be too hard on Nowitzki for not being able to slow him down.
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