Dirk Nowitzki changed the way the big men played in the NBA. He pioneered the use of ability and height to your advantage to shoot over your defenders. Nowitzki was years ahead of his time. He is the prototypical big man that the league wants in the present generation. But that didn’t stop him from achieving the biggest honor in basketball.

Four years following his retirement, the former coach of the Dallas Mavericks talked about the lifestyle of Dirk Nowitzki beyond the basketball court and what made him such a great person.

The ‘other’ life of Dirk Nowitzki

In a recent episode of the Hoopshype podcast, hosted by Michael Scotto, Jamahl Mosley, the head coach of the Orlando Magic joined in. Mosley shared his experience coaching around the league and various players. He went on to say that he is grateful to have coached and for going up against great players in the league. During the conversation, he was asked by Scotto if there were any stories about Dirk Nowitzki that people wouldn’t know about.

To this, Jamahl Mosley talked about the work ethic of Nowitzki. He mentioned that he never settled and always pushed himself to the best of his capabilities. But these are things that people know about, and the result of this is his winning a championship against the LeBron James-led Miami Heat in the 2011 finals. He then went on to talk about the ‘other’ factors about him that made Nowitzki so special.

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Jamahl Mosley said, “The other part is the human that he is“. He talks about his behavior and how he treats people. Mosley said that he had never seen Dirk Nowitzki turn down an autograph or not take a picture of someone who wanted to take a picture with him.

“The humility that he possesses as a human being and what he gives back, you can’t say enough about who he is as a player and as a man”, he added. Dirk is one of the most likable and nicest people in the basketball world. But that didn’t stop him from being the best player he could be.

Dirk Nowitzki’s greatness on the floor

His one-legged fadeaway was one of the most unstoppable moves in the NBA. After playing in the league for 21 years, he retired as an NBA champion and finals MVP. He is the only player in NBA history to play with the same team for 21 years. He was a 14-time NBA All-Star, has 12 All-NBA selections, and also won the regular season MVP award in 2007.

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His win against the Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA finals will undoubtedly be his greatest achievement. While being the underdogs and going down two games to one, people had written off the Dallas Mavericks. But the team rallied back and won the next three games and took home their first championship in franchise history. In 2023, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall Of Fame.