Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki is part of a rare group in the NBA today. The German player starred in an extensive 21-year career in the league, all of them as a member of the Texas squad. Then, sticking to the same organization was a more widespread norm and this was confirmed by players such as Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan, Reggie Miller, John Stockton or Dirk himself.
Today, Stephen Curry is the star of the league who best represents this loyalty to the same franchise. According ESPN, the point guard is the second longest-serving player on the same team, with twelve years. Only Udonis Haslem and his 17 seasons in Miami present a greater background, although his role has been testimonial in the last five years.
In a recent interview for ESPNNowitzki was asked what it meant to him to play for the same team throughout his career. In response, the former player cited Charles Barkley as a source of inspiration to pursue success.
“I was prepared to live with the fact that I was not going to win a title. Like one of my great idols, Charles Barkley. I loved it, that’s why in Europe I used the number ’14’, because he had used it at the Barcelona Olympic Games. And I have never thought it was worse for not having won a championship. He just ran into Michael Jordan. Of course, there is always something in your mind that says to you: ‘What if I had done this another?’ But I’m glad things were finally going well in Dallas. I didn’t have to think about leaving this city. “
Persevering and not giving up was one of the most difficult and demanding decisions of Nowitzki’s career. Painful defeat in the 2006 Finals haunted him every year until finally success came unexpectedly in 2011 on some fairly veteran Mavericks.
Thus, Nowitzki surpassed his maestro doubly: first, by winning the championship and, second, ending his professional career in the same franchise. Try as he might, Barkley couldn’t add a winding to his particular showcase despite trying his luck in Philadelphia, Phoenix and Houston.
(Cover photo by Alexander Scheuber / Getty Images for DFB)
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