Most NBA fans know Dirk Nowitzki as a stellar shooter, the center who revolutionized how big men could operate, and as the leader of one of the most impressive championship runs in NBA history. The German was famously a gentle soul but an intense competitor. However, most fans aren’t privy to the fact that his quiet demeanor was a facade. He also had a humorous side, which he rarely showed in public, but had no qualms about showcasing it to his teammates.
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Former Mavericks star Dennis Smith Jr. appeared on Heat icon Udonis Haslem’s The OGs podcast to talk about his time in the league. He touched on what it was like to play with Nowitzki in Dallas and how the general perception of the German isn’t accurate. He said,
“Growing up, you’re watching Dirk, you see Dirk Nowitzki on TV, and he is a super professional like in terms of his work and all that, but he just jokes all the time.”
Smith also recently appeared on Theo Pinson’s Run Your Race podcast and went even more in-depth on what it was like to be on the same team as the Hall of Famer. The guard was amazed about how hard the center worked on his game and how diligent he was about improving. He said,
“He was shooting his highest career three-point percentage, and that still wasn’t enough for him. It’s no secret as to why he’s this successful.”
However, Nowitzki’s obsession with winning once cost him $10,000 but he refuses to pay it up.
Dirk refused to pay off the bet he lost to Dennis Smith Jr.
Nowitzki was among the most skilled players in the league, but quickness was his Achilles heel. The seven-foot center moved on the court at a crawling speed. However, that didn’t stop him from challenging Smith, who was known for his agility, to a race.
But when he unsurprisingly lost, he refused to give the guard what he owed him. Recalling the hilarious incident on the Run Your Race podcast, Smith said,
“We was on his ass one day talkin’ ’bout, ‘Man, ain’t no way you movin’ this slow,’ and he was like, ‘Who wanna race me? Who wanna race me?’ The race was: he start at half court, I start at full court, and we race to the end, and I won! And he still ain’t paid me. So don’t make me come down to Nowitzki Lane, bruh.”
Despite earning over $250 million in salary alone during his Hall of Fame career, Nowitzki refused to pay off the bet. Smith is persistent and wants the money he rightfully earned, but the German continues to evade giving his former teammate $10,000.
