Dirk Nowitzki was a formidable force in his prime. His former teammate Tyson Chandler has lauded the praises of the man that brought an NBA championship to the city of Dallas.
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Nowitzki was a formidable force during his playing career. Although the one-legged fadeaway was his signature shot, the German could score the ball from any point on the floor, relying on the jumper to score points.
The ‘German Jesus’ attained the pinnacle of the sport in 2011 when he eclipsed the newly formed Miami Heat ‘Big Three’ to capture his one and only NBA championship. The manner in which he obtained the laurel was even more impressive, as he was the sole star on that Dallas roster.
His 2011 championship campaign was magnificent, to say the least. So much so that Tyson Chandler, in hindsight, was left captivated by his performances.
Tyson Chandler was enthralled by Dirk Nowitzki’s 2011 run!
Former Dallas Mavericks center Tyson Chandler recently made an appearance on the Knuckleheads podcast, alongside Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles. The NBA veteran delved into the subject of basketball.
Amongst a lot of topics mentioned, one that stood out was Chandler’s insight into Dirk Nowitzki. The 40-year-old mentioned how Nowitzki put the weight of the dreams and hopes of the Mavericks franchise on his back, to lead them to history.
Chandler said:
“The run that Dirk had I mean watching it was unbelievable. I mean I had never seen basketball played at that level. Anytime we needed a bucket he got a bucket. He hit every big shot, he carried us.
The American continued:
“I remember me and D Steve it was before the Oklahoma series and it’s the Western Conference Finals. We were sitting on the table and Dirk was out there shooting and we just looked at each other and it’s like we just got to get him there like we just gotta get him there, he’s going to give us a ring, we have to get him there. And that’s how he felt because he was like a man on a mission. I hadn’t seen anything like that up to that point,”
During his title-winning season in 2011, Nowitzki averaged 27.7 points per game and 8.1 rebounds per game, in an estimated 40 minutes of playing time. Chandler’s statement regarding Nowitzki is a testament to how the city of Dallas perceives him.
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The statue of Dirk Nowitzki!
For his contributions to guiding the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA title in 2011, the German forward was awarded a statue by the franchise last year. On Christmas day, Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban unveiled the statue.
With his statue all but confirmed, the 44-year-old has cemented his legacy in stone. Literally.
The statue will be a perennial symbol of the magnitude of the task accomplished by Nowitzki and the Mavericks in 2011. It has certainly helped in solidifying himself as the greatest international player in NBA history.
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