It’s about “passing the torch.” The Mavericks believed they were blessed with the perfect successor in Luka Doncic to follow Dirk Nowitzki’s footsteps. Though Luka was a rookie during Nowitzki’s final season and their time together was brief, they formed a special bond. Nowitzki later admitted he wished he could have played one more year alongside Doncic.
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As the league became physically grueling, it got more difficult for the 14-time All-Star to be an asset for the Mavs. With his productivity continuously falling, the 7-footer believed it was in his best interest to retire following the conclusion of the 2018-2019 season.
During an interview with Eurohoops, the 2007 MVP revealed how he hoped that he could’ve extended his career by one more season to play a bigger role in helping Doncic develop as a player.
“I think I missed the right time if you watched my last two years… I think mentally I could have done one more year to see Luka grow and help him out. But physically I couldn’t keep it up, it was very hard even in my mid-30s. I was afraid of what was coming after, but it has been wonderful.”
Nowitzki saw a dip in his stats during his final few seasons in the league. Despite the fall, his numbers didn’t look too shabby for a 40-year-old role player – 7.3 points and 3.1 rebounds. In all probabilities, a high basketball IQ player like Dirk would’ve found a way to sustain in the league for another year.
Even though they weren’t in their primes, the basketball world witnessed two of the best European players – Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic – share the locker room.
Fortunately, a talent like Doncic was able to develop into an All-Star and All-NBA player in the very next year, without Nowitzki even being on the roster.
Nowitzki believes that Luka doesn’t need a mentor
Over the past few years, since Luka Doncic has established himself as one of the best players in the world, Nowitzki has constantly been lauding the Slovenian superstar. The Wurzburg native praised Doncic for reaching his full potential without even requiring the former as a teammate.
Apart from the constant raving of the point guard, the Hall of Famer even admitted to being amazed by the former Real Madrid MVP’s transition into the NBA.
“He plays like a 35-year-old: wicked basketball IQ, what he sees on the floor I never saw. He knows how to handle big moments. We talk about basketball often, but I don’t need to mentor him. He’s an incredible talent and player. It was fun seeing him transitioning to the NBA. The start of something special, we’ve been witnessing greatness from him.”
Goran Dragic, Luka’s former teammate, also echoed a similar sentiment and praised Doncic. “Now it’s Luka [Doncic]’s team and he’s doing an amazing job. It’s passing the torch.”
There is no doubt that Doncic will take over as the face of the league once LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant retire. He will also manage to add to his stacked trophy cabinet constantly. And with his numbers and performance improving each year, it won’t be long before we see the 6ft 7” superstar win the MVP and NBA championship.
