Dirk Nowitzki moves ahead of Wilt Chamberlain on all-time scoring list
Dirk Nowitzki is already a giant in the history of the NBA.
But just in case you needed another clear-cut marker to illustrate his legacy, the 41-year-old Dallas Mavericks legend added another Monday night at American Airlines Center.
Nowitzki hit a fadeaway jumper just inside the 3-point arc atop the key to pass Wilt Chamberlain for sixth place on the all-time scoring list. Nowitzki scored the historic basket with 8:33 left in the first quarter.
The sold out arena erupted and Nowitzki was hugged by Luka Doncic, who assisted the historic shot, and congratulated by teammates and New Orleans Pelicans players. The game wasn’t stopped, however, which is exactly how the low key Nowitzki probably requested. He made the shot over Pelicans rookie and former TCU star Kenrich Williams.
“It’s been a long time coming this season,” Nowitzki said. “There were times I thought I’m not going to make it the way season went an coming off the injury. It was just super slow. But the last few weeks I’ve felt better and playing better. And the team kept looking for me, kept telling me to shoot. I’m glad it’s over with now.”
New Orleans held on for 129-125 win in overtime. Doncic recorded his fifth triple-double with 29 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, but he missed one of two free throws with in the final seconds of regulation that would have given Dallas the lead.
After the first timeout, a tribute to Nowitzki’s accomplishment was played on the video board and the 18,000 fans in the arena saluted him with a standing ovation.
“It’s really a monumental accomplishment,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. “We had hoped he would get it at home. The crowd was great. Once he hit the mark, the anticipation and energy went down.”
Sixth place is likely to be where the 21-year veteran will finish his career in all-time scoring, if he decides to retire after the season. He’s at 31,420 career points with 12 games remaining. Michael Jordan is fifth all-time with 32,292 points.
“This is the kind of historical thing that if you’ve followed the game for five decades the way I have this is mind boggling,” Carlisle said before the game. “It really is. Those of us who really know him know that he’s one of the really special people you’ll ever meet in any walk of life, in any profession and any circumstance.”
Carlisle said he’s been amazed to watch Nowitzki fight through some of the injuries and physical limitations that have plagued him in recent years. This season he was slowed by off-season foot surgery and didn’t play until December. Nowitzki turns 41 on June 19.
“It’s been an amazing set of challenging circumstances. A couple of years ago it was the Achilles. This year it was recovering from the foot surgery, which was much longer than expected,” Carlisle said. “If you could see the things that they are sticking in his body, from the needles and everything else, all over him, to just be able to get out there and play you’d be absolutely amazed. Part of me, more than ever, is in awe of his will to compete.”
Being able to do it in front of his home fans was special for Nowitzki.
“It was perfect. I’m glad it did happen at home,” he said. “It was great. Wilt, during his era, he was the most dominant player this league had ever seen. It’s surreal at times to be up there with some of these names.”
Nowitzki, besides being one of the greatest basketball players in history, has become such a beloved Dallas icon because of his humble personality.
“It’s been a two-decade love affair with really a symbolic, iconic figure when you look at everything Dirk has done on the floor and off the floor,” Carlisle said. “People have a great connection to their superstar athletes, especially the ones that they can relate to. And dirk has allowed us to relate to him in some very special and unusual ways because of the person that he is.”
Click here to listen to Mavs’ play-by-play voice Chuck Cooperstein make the call on Nowitzki’s historic basket.
The Top 10
The top 10 scorers in NBA history:
1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 38,387
2. Karl Malone, 36,928
3. Kobe Bryant, 33,643
4. LeBron James, 32,439
5. Michael Jordan, 32,292
6. Dirk Nowitzki, 31,424
7. Wilt Chamberlain, 31,419
8. Shaquille O’Neal, 28,596
9. Moses Malone, 27,409
10. Elvin Hayes, 27,313
This story was originally published March 18, 2019 at 7:50 PM.
