Don Nelson has always taken pride in the fact that he drafted Stephen Curry and Dirk Nowitzki to the Warriors and the Mavericks, respectively. In 2014, during an appearance on CBS News’ Deuce and Jason Ross Show, the three-time Coach of the Year spoke about the similarities between the two superstars. Lauding them for developing into elite players and great people, Nelson revealed the trait that the two shared.
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“I thought he was gonna be exactly what he turned out to be,” Nelson told CBS News’ Deuce and Jason Ross Show in 2014. “He’s been a delight to watch, and the maturity and everything else that goes in on the development of a person, not just a player. I’m really proud of him. I said the same thing about Curry,” Nelson said.
While Nelson did coach The Baby-Faced Assassin for only a single season, he did have a huge impact on Nowitzki’s improvement into a megastar. Coaching the Texas side from 1997-2005, Don’s guidance allowed the German to succeed at the NBA level.
When it came to Steph, Don was quoted as saying 2020 that he never truly believed Curry had the potential to become an MVP in the league. Clearly the veteran coach was mistaken.
“You never think a guy could be MVP of the league. I mean, who would ever think that but I thought he would be an All-Star point guard.”
Today, Steph and Dirk stand among the greatest in the NBA history. While Nowitzki has won an MVP and one of the hardest championships ever, Curry has managed to win two MVPs and four titles of his own. Playing for the same team their entire careers, the impact that they’ve had on their respective franchises is off the charts.
Nowitzki doesn’t believe that Steph’s 3-point record will be broken
During the 2021-2022 season, Stephen Curry surpassed Ray Allen as the all-time 3-point leader. Legends of the game raced and dished out praises for the GSW leader. Dirk probably had perhaps the best compliments for the shifty guard.
“I don’t think there’s anybody in sight now that can break his record,” Dirk said.
“I mean, the way he’s been — at the clip that he’s shooting now is just fantastic and fun to watch. In a way, he’s changed the game.”
Apart from stating the fact that the former Davidson Wildcat changed the game, the Mavs legend also stated that his record would never be broken. Coming from the greatest big man shooter of all time, it certainly is a huge pat on the back for Curry.
