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“We were with Dirk Nowitzki for 21 years, and the last three years were out of pure respect,” Nelson told Ekipa 24. “People like that deserve to say goodbye on their own terms and according to their wishes, and everyone deserves a decent funeral – figurative or literal.” Nelson admitted he was stunned by the trade, as were many in basketball. “Everyone was shocked,” Nelson said. “Some of us are still shocked.”
The Dallas Mavericks held an introductory press conference for 2025 NBA Draft No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg on Friday. After the press conference, Mark Cuban — who was in attendance — took some time to speak to reporters. Cuban was asked about Dirk Nowitzki and Flagg, to which he provided a “trash talk” comparison. “Dirk would talk his game and tell you what he was going to do,” Cuban told reporters. “And you see that with Cooper, too. Cooper likes to talk trash. The difference was… Dirk would say it in German and no one understood it. So now someone needs to ask him (Flagg) if he knows any foreign languages.”
Tom Haberstroh: Jalen WIlliams just did something -- score 40+ in a Finals game -- that the following players have never done: Larry Bird Hakeem Olajuwon Karl Malone Kawhi Leonard Dirk Nowitzki
Marc J Spears: Former Mavericks head coach Don Nelson said @paulpierce34 was his “favorite player” in the 1998 NBA Draft, but his son made sure they kept to their commitment @swish41 to select him at ninth instead. Pierce was selected 10th by the Celtics.
How do you imagine that show is going to look once it actually begins? Blake Griffin: I like building this show with Dirk Nowitzki, Candace Parker and Taylor Rooks. The former players are all relatively new to retirement. We all played in the last few years. Dirk has a great sense of humor. He’ll be great. The whole crew is great. We have a group chat that we text all of the time. We’re trying to start that chemistry and get it going. I’m looking forward to being up there with everybody. We want to give insight. We want to give actual analysis for pre-game, halftime and post-game. But we also want to keep it really light. We want to highlight some of the lesser-known storylines around the NBA. When you turn on ESPN, you just see the Lakers and the Celtics and the Warriors and the Knicks. We want to highlight someone like Donovan Mitchell, who had an unbelievable year in Cleveland.
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Keerthika Uthayakumar: Most makes to tie or take the lead in the last 90 seconds of the 4th or OT in a single postseason (since 1997): Tyrese Haliburton - 5 this year LeBron James – 5 in 2018 Kevin Durant – 5 in 2012 Dirk Nowitzki – 5 in 2011 Ray Allen - 5 in 2009 Ben Gordon – 5 in 2009 John Stockton – 5 in 1997
Dirk Nowitzki also reflected on the rare energy building across Dallas basketball. For the first time in history, the Wings and Mavericks hold the No. 1 overall picks in the same year. The Mavericks are expected to select Duke’s Cooper Flagg in the upcoming NBA Draft—a move Nowitzki sees as a possible inflection point for both franchises. “Winning the draft lottery is always big,” Nowitzki said. “The Mavs did it a few weeks ago, and so it’s great to have good young talent come in for your franchise. In most cases, it can turn your franchise around. So hopefully that’s the case for both teams.”
HoopsHype: Draymond Green moved up to No. 19 in blocks, No. 49 in three-pointers, and No. 81 in scoring in NBA playoffs history tonight. Also: Jimmy Butler passed DIRK NOWITZKI in three-pointers for No. 60. (I had to double-check that).
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Amazon Prime Video hires Steve Nash for NBA coverage
Hall of Fame point guard Steve Nash is expanding his scope as a basketball broadcaster. And Nash, in the process, will become teammates again with a very close friend — fellow Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki — for the first time in more than 20 years. The Stein Line has learned that Nash is joining Amazon Prime's NBA coverage team starting next season.
Harrison's decision to fire Smith, and the way he did it, also drove Nowitzki away from the franchise that he proudly played for his entire career. Sources said Nowitzki, who describes himself as a "Mavs fan" now, opted to no longer be involved in the inner workings of the franchise's basketball operations after Smith's forced exit. Nowitzki had served as a senior adviser to Mark Cuban, frequently attending practices and providing input when he was in Dallas. Sources told ESPN that Smith's ouster also prompted the departure of Mavs vice president of basketball communications Scott Tomlin, another two-decade employee of the franchise who was close with Smith, Nowitzki and Doncic, among others. Tomlin accepted an offer to become the executive director of the DN Companies and The Dirk Nowitzki Foundation.
As The Stein Line also reported in an April 7 piece, Casey Smith's ouster is believed to be among the key factors that has contributed to team legend Dirk Nowitzki's increasing distance from the franchise over the past two seasons. Smith worked closely with both Nowitzki and Mavericks coach Jason Kidd when they were players as well as with Kidd during his first two seasons as coach. Nowitzki still has an office at the team's practice facility that he was given when named a special advisor to former Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban, but it essentially sits dark. Neither Nowitzki nor Cuban was consulted by Harrison or new Mavericks majority owner Patrick Dumont before Dallas agreed to trade Dončić to the Lakers.
Mark Cuban: Dirk is the Dallas Mavericks. Then, now and forever. No one should ever forget that. That statue will be here forever. Loyalty never fades away. Tomorrow night 15 guys will put on a Mavericks uniform. They will do everything they can to win. For themselves, each other and THE FANS. Our squad has busted their ass to fight through incredible adversity. They have my respect and support , should have everyone's I am a Mavs fan. I will always love and cheer for everyone who puts on our uniform. Tomorrow night and how ever many games we have left this season and in every future season, whether I'm in the stands, in front of the TV, or following every play online, my heart and soul is committed to rooting for the Mavs to win. That will never change. I know fans are upset. But don't be upset at the players. Support them. Root for them. Rally behind them. MFFL stands for Mavs Fan FOR LIFE #MFFL
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