'We weren't soft, we were skilled': Nowitzki on NBA's European revolution

TL;DR

Dirk Nowitzki, recently inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame, reflects on his role in changing perceptions of European players in the NBA. He emphasizes that skill, rather than size, defines modern basketball.

Key points

Dirk Nowitzki was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame.
He changed perceptions of European players in the NBA.
Nowitzki won the NBA MVP award in 2007.
Current players like Luka Doncic continue his legacy.
Nowitzki emphasizes the increased skill level in modern basketball.

Mentioned in this story

Dirk NowitzkiFIBANikola JokicLuka DoncicVictor Wembanyama

Dallas MavericksLos Angeles Lakers

Standing out: Former Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki at the NBA game in Berlin in January (Odd ANDERSEN) (Odd ANDERSEN/AFP/AFP) As he is inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame, Dallas Mavericks and German basketball legend Dirk Nowitzki is typically humble in downplaying his role in changing the game. Arriving in the NBA when European players were often derided as soft, the 2.13-metre (7ft) Nowitzki and the Gasol brothers Pau and Marc not only helped change perceptions; they created an enduring shift in the sport itself. Nowitzki's legacy is that the skilful European big man who can shoot is no longer a novelty, but very much the incarnation of the modern player. Already towering over adults while coming through the junior ranks, Nowitzki's long-time coach and mentor Holger Geschwindner told the skinny teenager to focus on fundamental skills rather than bulking up. "I met Holger, who taught me about shooting and moving on the court. I thought I could shoot a little bit but when we started, he was like 'You're doing everything wrong'," Nowitzki told AFP in Berlin. "We started from scratch, from zero, like I'd never shot before." Nowitzki's iconic one-legged fadeaway, the unguardable move sprinkled through his highlights reels, came directly from those early coaching sessions.

'We were skilled' - Drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1998, Nowitzki was traded immediately to the Dallas Mavericks, where he spent his entire 21-year career. While the groundwork had been laid by European big men like Serbia's Vlade Divac and fellow German Detlef Schrempf, negative stereotypes still lingered. "When we came over there late '90s, we were tall and we were shooting the ball. That was perceived as soft, but we were skilled." Nowitzki admits the mid-2000s rule changes designed to improve the flow of the game also helped, including the five-second rule, which restricted solo plays. "If I got Charles Barkley and I give him 10 seconds to dribble, I couldn't hold him up. "We got lucky there, I think, for Europeans, for bigs, that the game was changing at the right time." In 2007, Nowitzki became the first European to win the NBA MVP award and only the third non-American after Nigerian Hakeem Olajuwon and Canada's . In the present day, an American has not won the game's supreme individual award since in 2018. Three of those went to Serbia's , who Nowitzki considers the perfect distillation of the modern player. "Now, the skill level is so much higher across the board. "Jokic is a perfect example of how he plays positionless. You can put him anywhere on the court. "There's been a steady growth, an international influx, which has been fun to watch." One-time Maverick and current and French centre , who Nowitzki praised for "changing the game as we speak" are continuing the legacy.

Q&A

What impact did Dirk Nowitzki have on the perception of European players in the NBA?

Dirk Nowitzki helped change the perception of European players from being seen as soft to being recognized for their skill and versatility in the NBA.

When did Dirk Nowitzki win the NBA MVP award?

Dirk Nowitzki won the NBA MVP award in 2007, becoming the first European player to achieve this honor.

Who are some current NBA players that continue Dirk Nowitzki's legacy?

Current NBA players like Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama are seen as continuing Dirk Nowitzki's legacy in changing the game.

What does Dirk Nowitzki think about the evolution of skill levels in the NBA?

Nowitzki believes that the skill level in the NBA has significantly increased, with players like Nikola Jokic exemplifying the modern, versatile player.