Dirk Nowitzki, the faithful servant of the Dallas Mavericks, was one of the greatest power forwards of all time. The 1998 NBA draft saw the acquisition of a unique player, Dirk Nowitzki, by the Dallas Mavericks, whose potential earned him the franchise’s icon.
While many wondered about Dirk’s choice of the number 41 jersey, the Hall of Famer has shed light on the reason behind his jersey number choice. Amid the former NBA champion’s reflections, he revealed his initial doubts about the current Mavericks’ superstar.
Dirk Nowitzki sheds light on decision to wear 41
The German-born star spent his entire 21 years with the Mavericks, wearing the No. 41 jersey. Per the NBA, Dirk explained why he used the No. 41 jersey during his time in the NBA. In a clip, Dirk revealed that he initially wanted the No. 14 jersey, but another Dallas star already had it, prompting him to opt for a different choice by flipping the numbers.
Dirk shared, “I loved Charles [Barkley] at the time, so I switched to [number] 14… Robert Pack had 14 with Dallas, but he didn’t want to give the number up to a rookie. So I flipped the numbers.”
Dirk Nowitzki, after spending 21 seasons in the league, garnered notable achievements, which reflected his fame as the greatest power forward of all time. Dirk won the 2007 NBA MVP award and was awarded an All-Star 14 times.
Notably, Dirk won the 2011 NBA championship and the finals MVP award. Again, Dirk achieved the All-NBA team in 12 out of 21 seasons and also won the 3-pointer contest in the All-Star game in 2006.
Nowitzki reflects on early doubts about Luka Doncic
Before Dirk Nowitzki’s retirement in 2019, his last season saw the start of Luka Doncic Mavericks’ career, in the 2018-2019 season. Doncic was highly tipped to carry on the team, after Dirk’s departure, but Dirk was quite skeptical of Doncic’s potential.
Per Showtime’s All The Smoke Podcast, Dirk in a clip, reflected on his initial doubts about Luka Doncic as he wondered if Doncic was worth the hype following success in Europe, and if some issues could hinder his NBA potential. Dirk disclosed that, while the end of his career wasn’t good, the team needed fresh energy to get going as they were struggling.
Dirk said, “I didn’t think it was going to be this kid [Doncic]. When he walked in the first time, he looked like a big boy, but I’m like, ‘I’m not sure this is going to work.”
Dirk, also shared that Mavericks veterans put efforts to test Doncic, especially in scrimmages, which is a standard treatment for any golden child NBA recruit, but Doncic performed excellently.
While Doncic’s talent, swagger, and game passion inspired his dominance over grown men in Europe as a young teenager, Dirk still didn’t see him achieving so much in the NBA. Nevertheless, Doncic has since become the superstar of the franchise, posting outrageous figures in his featured matchups.
