For the third straight year, the Dallas Mavericks went into the summer trying to snag a superstar to line up 
alongside Dirk Nowitzki.
Two years ago, the Mavericks went after All-Star point guard Deron Williams, who took a pass on playing in his home state with no local income taxes and re-signed with the Brooklyn Nets. The consolation prizes were Elton Brand, Chris Kaman and O.J. Mayo.
Last year, the target was All-Star center Dwight Howard, who stung the Mavericks by signing with the rival Houston Rockets. Dallas settled for Monta Ellis, Jose Calderon and Samuel Dalembert.
This summer, the Mavericks met with LeBron James’ agent and fellow superstar Carmelo Anthony, looking to fill their gaping hole at small forward with one of the game’s biggest names. Strike three.
The consolation prize this time was Chandler Parsons, a 25-year-old small forward with improving, versatile skills who cost $45 million over three years. He also never has played in an All-Star Game or won a playoff series. So, yeah, he’s not a superstar.
Parsons is a good player. He could mature and develop into a very good player, another of the very good players Nowitzki has played alongside throughout his transformational career.
But regardless of his confidence, it is unlikely that Parsons will become a superstar, and Nowitzki has never played alongside one of those.
And that makes Nowitzki all the more remarkable.
Why don’t we include Nowitzki when talking about the all-time greats of this millennium? We do we easily rattle off the names of Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Tim Duncan and just as easily omit Nowitzki?
(RELATED: CHRIS SHERIDAN ANSWERS QUESTION OF WHO IS BETTER: DIRK OR ‘MELO?)
Twenty years from now, some kid is going to look back at this era. And when he asks his father about Nowitzki, his question should be, “How the hell did Dirk win a championship by himself?”
Either O’Neal or Duncan hoisted the Larry O’Brien Trophy in six of Nowitzki’s first seven seasons. But O’Neal had Bryant alongside him, and Duncan was fortified by David Robinson and Tony Parker.
Nowitzki finally reached the big stage in 2006, losing to O’Neal and Dwyane Wade in Miami. Then from 2007 to 2014, either Bryant or James played in every NBA Finals. Bryant played in three in a row from 2008-10, winning twice with Pau Gasol riding shotgun. James played in four in a row from 2011-14, also winning twice with Wade and Chris Bosh.
But in 2011, while arguments raged over whether Bryant or James was the NBA’s best player – Nowitzki toppled them both, dethroning Bryant and denying James. And he did it without any help from a superstar sidekick.
Who exactly was the second-best player on that Mavericks team? Jason Kidd, who was 37? Jason Terry, who came off the bench? Tyson Chandler, who scored 10 points a game?
Nowitzki has as many MVP awards as both O’Neal and Bryant. He has as many championships as Kevin Garnett and one more than Kevin Durant, Allen Iverson, Derrick Rose, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard and Steve Nash – combined.
A tall, skinny German teenager, Nowitzki struggled in his lockout-shortened rookie season. He was unfairly stigmatized as a white, international player. Even as he quickly developed into an All-Star and franchise cornerstone, the criticism remained.
Ironically, it grew loudest when Nowitzki was at his best. In 2006, he made his first appearance in the NBA Finals – and bore the brunt when the Mavericks blew a 2-0 lead. In 2007, he drove Dallas to 67 wins – matching the sixth-best record in NBA history – with a rare 50-40-90 season and was named MVP. And he was clobbered by the 
media when Dallas lost to eighth-seeded Golden State in the first round.
By that time, the only folks still riding on Nowitzki’s bandwagon were Holger Geschwindner, Marc Stein and me.
And it remained relatively uncrowded until his championship run four years later.
A closer look at Nowitzki’s career shows that he is anything but a typical white international player. Critics point to his preference for the perimeter without realizing he is the only player in the top 40 all-time in both 3-pointers and rebounds. They question his toughness, forgetting that he returned to a playoff game in 2001 after getting his front teeth knocked out. They claim he crumbles in the clutch, unaware that he was 4-0 all-time in Game 7s – the best mark of any active player – until this postseason when San Antonio defeated Dallas in Game 7 of the first round.
Nowitzki is one of the truly transformational players in NBA history. The stretch-4 position was an oddity at best before he arrived. He defined and perfected it to the point where every NBA team has to have one in order to compete. And he been doing his unique thing for so long that the guy he was traded for on draft day in 1998 is dead.
And Nowitzki is going to keep doing his thing. He just signed a three-year deal that will take him through the 2016-17 season, when he will be 39 years old. Already 10th all-time in scoring, if Nowitzki averages 18 points in 210 games over the next three years, he will eclipse 30,000 points. If he averages just 6.0 rebounds, he will crack the top 30 all time.
The only players to reach those milestones are Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Karl Malone, all post players. Nowitzki probably will be in the top 15 in 3-pointers as well. Maybe Rick Carlisle wasn’t exaggerating when he said Nowitzki was one of the top dozen players of all time.
For what likely will be his last contract, Nowitzki could have insisted on the lifetime achievement deal that Bryant got from the Lakers, whose flexibility is now compromised. Instead, Nowitzki took $25 million – well below his market value – and followed the path of Duncan, who always has put championships ahead of cha-ching. Whatever you think of Parsons as a player, he would not be in Dallas without Nowitzki’s unselfishness.
Let’s hope Parsons can become an All-Star, and Chandler can rediscover his defensive dominance, and Ellis can maintain his newfound efficiency. Because if they do, perhaps Nowitzki can add one more championship to his underappreciated resume.
And then no one will omit his name.
Chris Bernucca is the managing editor of SheridanHoops.com. His column appears every Monday during the season. You can follow him on Twitter.
Dirks defense is no worse than magic, Barkley and Malone. Top 20 is where the German belongs. longevity trumps many of your shooting star hero’s. The Miami loss and golden state embarrassment are huge blemishes but who has done more with less and maintained a all-star caliber player for over 15 years!!
Even at his peak, Dirk was a sub-par rebounder and defender for a 7-footer and his team’s elite big man.
In his prime, he got bounced in the first round as the #1 seed.
His only championship came against a more talented Heat team as a slumping LeBron James was dealing with year- long pressures stemming from “the decision” and played well below his standards.
Dirk could only win when Dallas signed Tyson Chandler…a big man who could play good defense and rebound well to cover up Dirk’s deficiencies. Duncan and Shaq were not only their teams elite big men, but also their teams elite rebounders and defensive anchors. As was KG for the Celtics. And don’t start talking about David Robinson playing with Duncan because D-Rob was passed his prime at that point for their first 2 rings. And Duncan happened to win 3 more without him.
I like Dirk and think he’s one of the best clutch shooters in history. He helped revolutionized the PF position. But he didn’t impact the game on both ends of the floor.
Dirk was far from a sub-par rebounder and defender for anybody. He averaged anywhere from 8 to 10 rebounds in nine straight seasons (01-09) and although not a good defender in his first few seasons, he became a smart defender and a good team defender.
Oh how limited this writer’s mind is. Dirk played years with Nash (2xMVP and one of the best PGs ever) and Michael Finley.
Nash didnt do any of that until DAntoni turned him loose in a system where his terrible defense was overlooked. While Nash won MVPs his first two years in Phoenix, Dirk went to the Finals and won MVP in years 2 and 3 without Nash. Both of those years also were without Finley.
I don’t think Nowitski is underappreciated by the fans. The media chooses to ignore him.. Trust me when I say Spurs fans highly appreciate what Nowitski has done. As our interstate rival Nowitski has always given the Spurs trouble. He is just one dude on a mission. His fade away jumper is something of beauty. Probably the one shot that nobody in the NBA can defend. He has always been humble, and stayed loyal to the Mavs. Just like when Duncan finally hangs it up, it will be tremendously sad when the big German does too.
Thanks Spurs Fan we love our Dirty
best thing about Dirk is he is just a good dude…he has a great heart, willing to do silly videos that are seen at the Mavs game, stays humble despite his accomplishments, and is just a great interview!!!
You actually help it become look so simple with your display on the other hand uncover that subject matter to get truly one thing i feel I would personally by no means have an understanding of. The idea form of seems too intricate and very huge to me. I’m having a look forward on your following write-up, Let me try and obtain the dangle of it!
He has always been underrated. The only player since Hakeem to literally lead his team to a championship by his self. You might be able to get his game for 8 million a year, but his loyalty is priceless.
I enjoyed this article (other than the Tractor Traylor remark), but I think someone should ask “why doesn’t another superstar want to play along side Dirk in Dallas?” he is very unselfish on the offensive end, he has taken pay cut after pay cut to make room for another star, DFW is a fairly large media market, top 5 I’m pretty sure. More than anyone else, I feel like it is his fellow superstars that don’t give him the respect he is due.
I’m not even sure of the point of this article other than to rant. Dirk got props when he won his chip. Who exactly doesn’t give him his respect? Any true basketball fan should. But how do you measure respect? And if you can’t give a tangible metric then stfu. How about throwing some blame at Cuban for not consistently surrounding Dirk with a championship team. The truth is that the transcendent stars are measured by chips. PERIOD. Dirk only has one. So who’s fault is that? It’s not lebron’s, or melo’s, or Kobe’s, or any of the other players who you’ve indirectly implicated as being indicative of some imaginary ‘me first’ generation. Sports are just about the only equal playing field in American society. And it’s the responsibility of the players, coaches, GMs , and owners to maximize their opportunities. If they don’t then tough!
So stop whining!!!!!
Rant? Look who’s talking! It isn’t entirely Cuban’s fault so stop pointing fingers. He tries every damn year to gather talent around Dirk but somehow they always spurn the Mavs for other overrated teams.
Yes I know Cuban dismantled the championship team back in 2011, but if he did keep that core they would’ve been in the same position as the Nets right now- old, overly capped, and without flexibility.
Wondeful article Mr. Bernucca, I’ve been a Dirk fan since the first time I saw him on a magazine, I was 12yo, I’m now 26.
He’s one of the few players I’ve seen sacrificing the way he did, I dunno how much Duncan has sacrificed money-wise but Nowitzki I know he sacrificed a lot, in multiple seasons.
For all I know even Duncan cant compare as he always had excellent players surrounding him, something Nowitzki only had once in Steve Nash and Mike Finley.
Regarding Legends and so called “superstars”(if we can call’em that…everyone has different views on what makes the player).
Before being a real professional was staying with the TEAM until the end something only some can claim nowadays, Kobe, Dirk, Duncan(there are others I know…), taking the hard road to claim success regardless of all the bling and appetizing offers, someone who would SACRIFICE for the team and that’s what I think builds a players into a Legend.
Nowadays, those so claimed superstars dont know the meaning of such word, they only see fat contrast and “money filling their pockets”, case of Lebron, Melo. They dont want what is best for them basketball-wise, they think with their wallets not with their brain…
That only builds someone out of character…for them being professional, is having the attention from everyone in the league, people wanting and fighting for them… It’s their face on nike commercials… slam magazines.
Its a long comment already… so to make it short, a question, where can we find consumate basketball professionals in the younger generations now?
If you read till the end, Thank you :p
The perception is about where it should be. He’s one of the greatest scorers of all-time, but can’t play a lick of defense and doesn’t deserve to be in the top 20.
Cheap stab at humor with the Tractor Traylor reference. An otherwise decent piece sullied by shock-jock antics. Hope you managed a nice little chuckle.
Absolutely wonderful article! Good stuff.
I must add that I have been a Dirk fanatic since philly lost to Lakers and did not trade Eric Snow the worst point guard ever…. and it has been hard but as he schooled Ibaka , swept kobe , and told the big 3 to “take that with you” he made it all worth while …. I’d do it all again love ya Dirk
My All Time Favorite Living Legend ….. The man is a class act our title run was the best year of my life you lace up your shoes and play your heart out alongside Dirk and you have the best chance at a ring this year
Love the article but I disagree on this: “By that time, the only folks still riding on Nowitzki’s bandwagon were Holger Geschwindner, Marc Stein and me.”
I was there all the time. I’m sure Cuban was, as well.
A bit of hyperbole. Thanks for reading
Dirk Nowitzki is an all-time NBA superstar with his uncanny, seemingly out-of-balance shooting ability. It’s amazing how he continues to do it, for decades. Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is a hard-to-please billionaire-owner, but he has proven that when you earned his trust, he will reward you with the same loyalty. While NBA players come in and out of teams, Dirk and Mark’s boss-employee relationship is a model for all sports organizations.
I am absolutely disgusted with the reference that Dirk has been doing this so long that the guy he was traded for is dead. And it doesn’t make sense. Taylor didn’t die of old age, he died tragically young so your reference doesn’t work. Just classless.
Im guessing you were only looking for an excuse to be mad at this article because your comment is the only think that doesnt make any sense here…
Not mad at the article. It’s the only reason I came to this site because I like dirk. I believe he’s top 10 and one of the greatest ever. I’m mad at the writer for the reference. It was tasteless and unnecessary.
I agree..very tasteless, he should be able to use his wit to find something more accurate and lest disrespectful. Not only was it wrong, it wasn’t like he died of old age like it implied. Other than that I loved the article, because Dirk is my favorite athlete of all time. Rare breed, might be the last superstar to take a paycut to help is team get better.
what the fuck are you saying ?
You won’t get it.
No, I agree with you Edwin. It was an unfair point, and rather classless. And Dirk is my favorite player.
Thank you for writing that. The Mavs fans out here know what we have, but you are correct. He is overlooked. He has carried his teams since very early in his career, without the benefit of other stars to shoulder the load.
That last line gave me chills.
I know my team, and I know our leader; I guarantee that we will win one more championship before Dirk retires.
There is 0 doubt in my mind.
Love this article! Couldn’t agree more about him being under appreciated.