Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James may have lost to Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks in the 2011 NBA Finals, but that didn't stop him from showing his respect to one of the NBA's all-time greats.

After it was revealed that Dirk is one of the finalists for the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame, James took it to Instagram to heap praise on Nowitzki. He shared a graphic of Nowitzki's Hall of Fame call and captioned it with, “One of the COLDEST … EVA!! Yessir [Dirk Nowitzki].”

Dirk Nowitzki certainly deserves all the recognition he's getting. As LeBron James said it, the Mavs legend is really one of the “coldest” players to do it, boasting a nearly unstoppable shot that James himself knows was really lethal.

The Dallas icon, even after his playing career, remains an incredible ambassador for the game. He's one of the best foreign players to ever step foot on an NBA court, playing a big role in making the league so global, and he continues to do so as he keeps promoting the league.

There is no doubt that Nowitzki is a lock for the Hall of Fame. There's just no way he would be snubbed after everything he has done for the sport. Sure enough, James will likely tune in on his TV when the Honors committee announce their voting results in the NCAA Men's Final Four. Besides, along with Dirk, his good friend Dwyane Wade is among the finalists as well.