Charlie Villanueva was the latest guest to be invited by Theo Pinson and Tidal League on the recent episode of the Run Your Race podcast. The episode being a nearly 70-minute-long episode, the panel expectedly spoke about a whole variety of topics. Villanueva shedding light on the kind of person Dirk Nowitzki was merely one of them.
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While talking about his stint with the Dallas Mavericks, Charlie Villanueva also spoke highly about Dirk Nowitzki. Disregarding Nowitzki’s unreasonable demand for sushi during flights, Villanueva revealed how the German star was a “low maintenance” guy who didn’t prefer any kind of preferential treatment. Finally, apart from dubbing the sharpshooting forward as the “humblest superstar”, the 6ft 11” big man also disclosed that the former was extremely funny.
“Man, he was a problem, man. Dirk is so dope, man. Walk with me right away with open arms. He’s a superstar, but like the humblest superstar you will ever meet. Low maintenance kind of guy… He didn’t prefer no star treatment even though they gave it to him, but he wasn’t requesting or doing Hollywood sh*t. He was a good teammate – one of those guys that will push but not really say much, by actions though.
He’s hilarious… He’s a clown, bro. Dirk is a funny dude,” Villanueva said.
Dirk Nowitzki is one of the greatest forwards and also among the best sharpshooting big men in NBA history. Across a lengthy 21-year career, Nowitzki had 14 All-Star selections, 12 All-NBA selections, an MVP, a title, and a Finals MVP. Despite his stellar resume, the Wurzburg native has always been lauded for his down-to-earth personality. Having seen all that greatness with his own eyes, while also having seen his humility, it is no wonder that he has so much respect for Dirk.
However, while the former Maverick had nothing but good things to say, what about the others? What were their comments on the former superstar?
What individuals from the basketball world say about Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki received a lot of lofty praise from esteemed individuals from the basketball world during the dying days of his final regular season. Back in 2019, teammates, competitors, coaches, and analysts all commented on the personality of Dirk and how the league would miss a humble character like him, per The Dallas Morning News.
Steve Kerr, the coach of the Golden State Warriors, revealed how Dirk was the most loveable player in the league and shed light on the latter’s sense of humor. Lastly, Kerr also complimented the Mavericks legend for his impact on the game.
“Dirk is just one of the guys that everybody loves. I don’t think you can find anybody in the league who doesn’t love Dirk, because not only is he a great player, but how he carries himself and a tremendous self-deprecating sense of humor. He loves the game, loves to play.
I think he’s changed the way people look at the game. You would never have a guy at that position shoot the way he has shot the ball. He’s been part of this 3-point revolution from a position that people really haven’t done that from,” Kerr said.
Legends such as Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen, and Larry Bird could also not stop raving about the forward for a distinguished career.
Charles Barkley: “Let me say this about Dirk Nowitzki: He’s the nicest man ever.”
Scottie Pippen: “I love the game of basketball, and I love when people play the game the right way. You played the game the right way, man.”
Larry Bird: “Dirk, it’s been an honor to watch you play over the years. The game is better because of you”
Not many athletes are loved like Dirk Nowitzki. Respected for all the right reasons, the European legend did have a huge say in the game, breaking the norms about big men shooting from distance. But more than all else, while Dirk was as great a competitor as any, his character never let him make any enemies. To this day, that is what he is loved and admired for the most, something that will likely continue to be the case for the rest of time.
