“Kobe Bryant Reached Out to Me During Free Agency, I Was Honored”: Dirk Nowitzki Humbly Declined The Mamba’s Effort to Recruit Him to Lakers in 2013

Not a lot of players in the NBA can say that Kobe Bryant tried to recruit them, Dirk Werner Nowitzki is one of those who can.

The Mavericks legend had the chance to play in LA and make a team with Bryant and add more Championships to his already Hall of Fame-destined career.

But we all know how loyal the German international was. And getting that offer when he had already won a championship with the Mavericks, there was no chance, that the Mavericks lifer would leave Dallas.

Also read: Dirk Nowitzki, Who Was About to Gift $250,000 Ring to His ex-Fiancee, is Still ‘Super Embarrassed’ by Her Arrest

When Kobe Bryant honored Dirk Nowitzki by trying to recruit him to the Lakers

Recently in his interview with Graham Bensinger, the 2017 Finals MVP talked about how big a fan he was of the Lakers legend and how he used to get home early after his own matches just to watch the fourth quarter of Bryant’s matches.

And also answered Graham’s question about how he felt about getting recruited by Kobe himself.

“He (Kobe) reached out to me during free agency, and of course, I was honored. But I basically told him ‘listen, I respect you so much, and it would be so much fun to play with you, but you know what I have built in Dallas. Everybody has been super loyal to me.’ And he expected that answer”, Dirk told Graham about Kobe’s offer around 2013 free agency.

Kobe must have known even before Dirk’s answer that it was not going to happen because like Bryant, Nowitzki was also as loyal as they come, and would obviously not leave Dallas having achieved championship success.

Dirk was content in Dallas after winning the chip in 2011

Nowitzki proved himself the best in the league in 2011, having won the championship defeating a prime Kobe Bryant and his defending champions Lakers in Conference Semi-finals, KD and Russell Westbrook’s OKC Thunder in the Conference Finals, and LeBron James, D-Wade, and Chris Bosh’s Heat in the Finals.

Doing all that in one postseason would satisfy anyone and make them feel the best they ever did in their life, that’s he must have decided not to leave Dallas. Not at least for chasing championships.

Also read: “Dirk Nowitzki Wanted To Hug Me Goodbye”: 7ft” Mavericks Star Was Stopped by Steve Nash and ‘Lady Lysa’ From Leaving America

About the author

Akash Murty

An Electrical and Electronics Engineer by degree, Akash Murty is an NBA Editor at The SportsRush. Previously a Software Engineer, Murty couldn’t keep himself away from sports, and his knack for writing and putting his opinion forward brought him to the TSR. A big Soccer enthusiast, his interest in basketball developed late, as he got access to a hoop for the first time at 17. Following this, he started watching basketball at the 2012 Olympics, which transitioned to NBA, and he became a fan of the game as he watched LeBron James dominate the league. Him being an avid learner of the game and ritually following the league for around a decade, he now writes articles ranging from throwbacks, and live game reports, to gossip. LA Lakers are his favourite basketball team, while Chelsea has his heart in football. He also likes travelling, reading fiction, and sometimes cooking.

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