Fort Worth Star Telegram Logo

Nowitzki poised to pass Olajuwon on scoring list | Fort Worth Star-Telegram

×
  • E-edition
    • Customer Service
    • Mobile & Apps
    • Newsletters

    • Local
    • Fort Worth
    • Arlington
    • Northeast Tarrant
    • Texas
    • Crime & Courts
    • Politics
    • Elections
    • Bud Kennedy
    • Databases
    • Nation and World
    • Cowboys
    • Rangers
    • TCU
    • Mac Engel
    • Colleges
    • Mavericks
    • Motorsports
    • Stars
    • High School Sports
    • Scores & Schedules
    • All Sports
    • Football
    • Baseball
    • Softball
    • Volleyball
    • Boys Basketball
    • Girls Basketball
    • Editorials
    • Letters
    • Submit a letter
    • Cheers and Jeers
    • Submit a Cheer or Jeer
    • Bud Kennedy
    • Michael Ryan
    • Cynthia M. Allen
    • Other Voices
    • Business
    • Growth
    • Restaurants
    • Arts & Culture
    • Movies
    • Things To Do
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Party Pics
    • Horoscopes
    • Comics
    • Contests
    • Puzzles and Games
    • Food & Drink
    • Arts
    • Health & Fitness
    • Indulge
    • The Keller Magazine
    • Neil Sperry
    • Social Eyes
    • Dear Abby
    • Weddings
    • Arlington Citizen-Journal
    • Keller Citizen
    • Star-Telegram Northeast
    • Mansfield News-Mirror
    • Weatherford Star-Telegram
    • La Estrella
    • Locales
    • Noticias
    • Deportes
    • Entretenimiento
    • Contáctenos
    • Media Kit
    • Today's Obituaries
    • Obituaries in the News
    • Submit an Obituary

    • All Weddings
    • Announcements
    • Bridal Show
    • Contact Us
    • Inspiration
    • News & Advice
    • Vendors
    • Hispanic Heritage
    • Cancer Awareness
    • Healthy Lifestyle
    • Dining, Entertaining
    • Breast Cancer Awareness
    • Think Green
    • Money Matters
    • All About Pets
    • Careers and Business
    • Health and Wellness
    • How To...
    • Women Today
    • Family and Parenting
    • Easy Living Tips
    • Lawn and Garden
    • Giving Back
    • Men Today
    • On the Road 1
    • On the Road 2
  • Public Notices
  • Local Deals
  • Cars
  • Jobs
  • Moonlighting
  • Homes
  • Classifieds
  • Mobile & Apps

Dallas Mavericks

Nowitzki poised to pass Olajuwon on scoring list

By Dwain Price - dprice@star-telegram.com

    ORDER REPRINT →

November 10, 2014 10:00 PM

Dirk Nowitzki’s first game in a Dallas Mavericks uniform was about as boring and uneventful as watching paint dry.

It was Feb. 5, 1999, and the Mavs were opening the lockout-shortened season against the Seattle SuperSonics at Key Arena. Nowitzki was in the starting lineup alongside Steve Nash, Michael Finley, Shawn Bradley and A.C. Green.

The stat line for Nowitzki — 0-for-5 shooting, no rebounds, four assists and two points — was about as gloomy as a lot of days in Seattle. Afterward, Nowitzki’s game immediately took a public relations hit.

“I remember everybody crushing on him and killing on him as being another BWS [Big White Stiff],” said owner Mark Cuban, who was then a Mavs season ticket holder. “Everybody was like, ‘Who is this guy and will he ever make it?’

Sign Up and Save

Get six months of free digital access to the Star-Telegram

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

#ReadLocal

“It took a little bit, but he worked hard and he got there.”

Fast forward to today, and not only has Nowitzki gotten there, but he’s also arrived in style.

Going into Tuesday’s home game against the Sacramento Kings, Nowitzki needs just 17 points to pass Hakeem Olajuwon and move into ninth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

Olajuwon finished his illustrious 18-year career in 2002 with 26,946 points. Nowitzki, now in his 17th season, has 26,930 points.

That’s a lot of baskets for a player who couldn’t find one that dreadful day in Seattle, and who was basically unheard of before he was chosen out of Germany with the ninth overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft.

“What I like about Dirk is he came in without a lot of expectations, besides [then-Mavs coach Don Nelson] putting the pressure on him to be the Rookie of the Year,” Finley said. “But he worked himself up to superstar status.

“A lot of these guys come in from college and already are, quote unquote, put in a superstar category without doing anything. Dirk did it the hard way. He worked himself up and now he’s one of the best ever to play the game.”

A 7-foot power forward, Nowitzki said it was “definitely surreal” last season when he passed Oscar Robertson to become the No. 10 all-time leading scorer. The passing of Olajuwon will be even more surreal because Nowitzki will also be crowned as the NBA’s highest-scoring player born outside the United States.

“Passing the Big O and knowing that only nine guys ever in this league scored more than me, that’s crazy to think,” Nowitzki said. “From where I came from — a little dump in Wurzburg, Germany — it’s been an amazing ride.

“So you know, hopefully I can have a couple more good years and we’ll see where I end up.”

Center Tyson Chandler certainly knows where Nowitzki will end up — the Hall of Fame. Chandler, who teamed with Nowitzki to help the Mavs win the 2011 NBA title, marvels at the patience Nowitzki exhibited while perfecting his craft.

“Everything Dirk accomplishes he deserves,” Chandler said. “He’s been putting in a lot of work into this league. He’s one of the all-time greats and one of the all-time great professionals with the type of work and commitment that he’s had throughout his entire career.

“It’s really amazing, especially the way he started his career. The league had some doubts about whether or not he could play in this game, but he never stopped believing and the organization never stopped believing.”

Back in February 1999, Finley never envisioned a day when Nowitzki would be mentioned in the same breath as some of the all-time greats.

“At the time I didn’t see him being considered as one of the all-time greats, which he is now,” Finley said. “He’s worked hard over the years to put himself in that category, and it’s well deserved.

“We just go a long ways back. And just to see him develop from a kid from Germany who questioned his abilities to be in the NBA to now being considered the all-time greatest European player to play the game and one of the all-time greats to play the game, it’s just amazing.”

Related stories from Fort Worth Star Telegram

HOMEPAGE

Follow Dwain Price on Twitter

March 03, 2011 06:53 PM

dallas-mavericks

GameDay: Sacramento Kings at Dallas Mavericks

November 10, 2014 06:05 PM

dallas-mavericks

Mavericks notes: Cuban has newfound respect for Dwyane Wade

November 09, 2014 09:59 PM

dallas-mavericks

Visiting Heat overcomes sluggish Mavericks

November 09, 2014 11:09 PM

  Comments  

Videos

Dirk Nowitzki happy to have perfect All-Star finale

Dirk Nowitzki enjoyed the 3-point contest despite slow start

View More Video

Trending Stories

When are we getting an H-E-B? The answer’s complicated

February 18, 2019 12:00 AM

Top Class 6A softball players in Dallas-Fort Worth to watch during the 2019 season

February 18, 2019 12:00 PM

UIL State Playoff boys basketball pairings and scores

February 18, 2019 10:24 PM

Why Cowboys plan to wait on 2nd straight franchise tag for DeMarcus Lawrence, for now

February 18, 2019 11:41 AM

‘There’s no more excuses.’ Four core Rangers players are ready to grow up in 2019

February 18, 2019 12:18 PM

Read Next

Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki gives last All-Star Game perfect touch

Dallas Mavericks

Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki gives last All-Star Game perfect touch

By Stefan Stevenson

    ORDER REPRINT →

February 17, 2019 10:14 PM

Dallas Mavericks’ legend Dirk Nowitzki, 40, was 3 for 3 from the 3-point arc in his last NBA All-Star Game Sunday night in Charlotte, N.C. Nowitzki joined the Heat’s Dwyane Wade, 37, as an honorary All-Star.

KEEP READING

Sign Up and Save

#ReadLocal

Get six months of free digital access to the Star-Telegram

SUBSCRIBE WITH GOOGLE

MORE DALLAS MAVERICKS

LeBron James thanks Laura Ingraham a year after ‘shut up and dribble’

Dallas Mavericks

LeBron James thanks Laura Ingraham a year after ‘shut up and dribble’

February 17, 2019 06:36 PM
Big Mac Bites: Dirk is better than Kobe in at least two ways; the Rangers bet to make

Mac Engel

Big Mac Bites: Dirk is better than Kobe in at least two ways; the Rangers bet to make

February 17, 2019 12:00 AM
Luka and Dirk enjoy opposite ends of the NBA spotlight, but both could use real break

Dallas Mavericks

Luka and Dirk enjoy opposite ends of the NBA spotlight, but both could use real break

February 16, 2019 10:15 PM
Kevin Durant salutes Dirk: ‘He was unguardable’

Dallas Mavericks

Kevin Durant salutes Dirk: ‘He was unguardable’

February 16, 2019 07:35 PM
How Luka Doncic plans to celebrate his 20th birthday

Dallas Mavericks

How Luka Doncic plans to celebrate his 20th birthday

February 16, 2019 04:58 PM
Is this it? Dirk Nowitzki on being the ‘old man,’ the ovations and his future

Dallas Mavericks

Is this it? Dirk Nowitzki on being the ‘old man,’ the ovations and his future

February 16, 2019 01:46 PM
Take Us With You

Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand.

Subscriptions
  • Start a Subscription
  • Customer Service
  • eEdition
  • Vacation Hold
  • Pay Your Bill
  • Rewards
Learn More
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Newsletters
  • News in Education
Advertising
  • Information
  • Place a Classified
Copyright
Commenting Policy
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service


Back to Story