indianwhite
Guru
Dirk & Nash: Leap to Greatness</span></font>
This is my ultimate tribute to both players, even though either is far from retiring. The emergence to greatness of these two is so unbelievable that, I like sum it up the best way possible for both. Despite the fact the average NBA fan would rather focus on flair and flamboyance, as oppose to humility and sheer hard work.
Dirk Nowitzki, he jumped straight out of Europe, from Germany's Bundsliga -2 pro league (Bundesliga -1 is that country's top pro league) to the NBA, absolutely untested. Prior to him I thought Detlef Schrempf was the best player ever from Germany, he proved me wrong otherwise. Nowtzki is often in many ways now considered to be the Best European ever to enter the NBA. Dirk became the unbelievable player he is at the start of the 2000-01 season, and 9 years later has done some amazing feats I never thought a player of his stereotype would ever do:
Win the MVP
All-Star Game - 7 times and counting (only White player of his generation)
2,000 points in a season - 3 times (only White player of his generation)
25+ PPG in a season - 3 times (only White player of his generation)
40+ point games - on 13 occasions (50+ point games included)
1,000+ 3PFG's - Tallest player to reach that milestone
20,000+ points - in striking distance (only White player of his generation)
Dirk's leap to the NBA was like jumping off a plane without a parachute, according to him. That phenomenal leap would not be possible, if not for Don Nelson, Donnie Nelson, Holger Geschwinder (his trainer), and even Steve Nash. Dirk originally wanted to go to a U.S. college, or stay in Europe for about 2-4 years. This set an unusually ideal place for Dirk to grow as a player and person through sheer hard work and above all, a lot of diligence and patience from those around him. Those turn of events helped him greatly. As amazing as Dirk's rise to greatness is, he is also at best Lucky, I can only imagine what Darko Milicic would have been like had he played for Don Nelson first instead of Larry "Too Strict" Brown. I can only imagine where Dirk would be had he gone to Milwaukee or Boston.
So for all the criticism there is on him (like defense and leadership), I have no doubt that Dirk Nowitzki is a future Hall of Famer, and not seeing him make it would be the ultimate insult to his already established legacy. He is no Larry Bird, he is Unique in his own way, there will never, ever be another Dirk Nowitzki.
Steve Nash, I first thought of Nash as "another Steve Kerr" (given their similar first names), just another spot-up shooting guard. But just like Dirk, I was proven wrong again. Prior to him, I though Jason Williams was the true successor to John Stockton, as the best PG in the NBA. But all that flair got into Williams' air headed- ness. Nash went on to become the best white PG in the NBA after Stockton retired. He is also to me, the 3rd best white PG ever, after Bob Cousy and Stockton. Nash broke to NBA stardom at the start of the 2000-01 season, the same time as Dirk, and 9 years later has done some amazing feats:
2-time MVP - one of the very few guards ever to do so
10,000+ career points - just the 4th White PG in NBA history
- the only white PG of his generation
7,000+ career assists - just the 2nd White PG in NBA history
All-Star game - 6 times (only white PG of his generation)
Assists leader - 3 times (only white PG of his generation)
Nash first entered the NBA on the Phoenix Suns, playing behind Jason and Kevin Johnson. Not one ever pictured this guy a future Hall of Famer, not even myself, he was at best a spot up shooter, a Steve Kerr-like player. But then came the trade to Dallas, and Don Nelson being his coach. Don Nelson has a history of making White players play well under him (Mullin, Marciulionis, Winters, Sikma, Nowitzki, Nash, and now Biedrins and Belinelli). This provided the ideal place for Nash to grow just like Dirk.
But the turning point of Nash's career was the return to Phoenix with Mike D'antoni as coach. D'antoni's freestyle coaching philosophy brought Nash to new heights. In just 4 years, he became a 2-time MVP and an absolute Hall of Famer. An amazing leap to greatness it was for Nash. Just like Dirk, I think Nash is also quite fortunate, I can only imagine where Nash would be had not been traded to Dallas, or had he remained in Dallas. The turn of events without a doubt served him very well. There is no doubt in my mind that Nash is an absolute Hall of Famer.
That's about it, thanks a lot, and a Happy Wonderful New Year!!!!
Congratulations to both Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash many times over.
Edited by: indianwhite
This is my ultimate tribute to both players, even though either is far from retiring. The emergence to greatness of these two is so unbelievable that, I like sum it up the best way possible for both. Despite the fact the average NBA fan would rather focus on flair and flamboyance, as oppose to humility and sheer hard work.
Dirk Nowitzki, he jumped straight out of Europe, from Germany's Bundsliga -2 pro league (Bundesliga -1 is that country's top pro league) to the NBA, absolutely untested. Prior to him I thought Detlef Schrempf was the best player ever from Germany, he proved me wrong otherwise. Nowtzki is often in many ways now considered to be the Best European ever to enter the NBA. Dirk became the unbelievable player he is at the start of the 2000-01 season, and 9 years later has done some amazing feats I never thought a player of his stereotype would ever do:
Win the MVP
All-Star Game - 7 times and counting (only White player of his generation)
2,000 points in a season - 3 times (only White player of his generation)
25+ PPG in a season - 3 times (only White player of his generation)
40+ point games - on 13 occasions (50+ point games included)
1,000+ 3PFG's - Tallest player to reach that milestone
20,000+ points - in striking distance (only White player of his generation)
Dirk's leap to the NBA was like jumping off a plane without a parachute, according to him. That phenomenal leap would not be possible, if not for Don Nelson, Donnie Nelson, Holger Geschwinder (his trainer), and even Steve Nash. Dirk originally wanted to go to a U.S. college, or stay in Europe for about 2-4 years. This set an unusually ideal place for Dirk to grow as a player and person through sheer hard work and above all, a lot of diligence and patience from those around him. Those turn of events helped him greatly. As amazing as Dirk's rise to greatness is, he is also at best Lucky, I can only imagine what Darko Milicic would have been like had he played for Don Nelson first instead of Larry "Too Strict" Brown. I can only imagine where Dirk would be had he gone to Milwaukee or Boston.
So for all the criticism there is on him (like defense and leadership), I have no doubt that Dirk Nowitzki is a future Hall of Famer, and not seeing him make it would be the ultimate insult to his already established legacy. He is no Larry Bird, he is Unique in his own way, there will never, ever be another Dirk Nowitzki.
Steve Nash, I first thought of Nash as "another Steve Kerr" (given their similar first names), just another spot-up shooting guard. But just like Dirk, I was proven wrong again. Prior to him, I though Jason Williams was the true successor to John Stockton, as the best PG in the NBA. But all that flair got into Williams' air headed- ness. Nash went on to become the best white PG in the NBA after Stockton retired. He is also to me, the 3rd best white PG ever, after Bob Cousy and Stockton. Nash broke to NBA stardom at the start of the 2000-01 season, the same time as Dirk, and 9 years later has done some amazing feats:
2-time MVP - one of the very few guards ever to do so
10,000+ career points - just the 4th White PG in NBA history
- the only white PG of his generation
7,000+ career assists - just the 2nd White PG in NBA history
All-Star game - 6 times (only white PG of his generation)
Assists leader - 3 times (only white PG of his generation)
Nash first entered the NBA on the Phoenix Suns, playing behind Jason and Kevin Johnson. Not one ever pictured this guy a future Hall of Famer, not even myself, he was at best a spot up shooter, a Steve Kerr-like player. But then came the trade to Dallas, and Don Nelson being his coach. Don Nelson has a history of making White players play well under him (Mullin, Marciulionis, Winters, Sikma, Nowitzki, Nash, and now Biedrins and Belinelli). This provided the ideal place for Nash to grow just like Dirk.
But the turning point of Nash's career was the return to Phoenix with Mike D'antoni as coach. D'antoni's freestyle coaching philosophy brought Nash to new heights. In just 4 years, he became a 2-time MVP and an absolute Hall of Famer. An amazing leap to greatness it was for Nash. Just like Dirk, I think Nash is also quite fortunate, I can only imagine where Nash would be had not been traded to Dallas, or had he remained in Dallas. The turn of events without a doubt served him very well. There is no doubt in my mind that Nash is an absolute Hall of Famer.
That's about it, thanks a lot, and a Happy Wonderful New Year!!!!
Congratulations to both Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash many times over.
Edited by: indianwhite
