We now know that Dirk Nowitzki is one of the best power forwards and one of the best scorers to every play the game, but early on in his career, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban did not know what to expect.
“I didn't know how good he would be. Had no idea,” said Cuban, according to James Herbert of CBS Sports.
Cuban, who took over as the Mavericks owner in 2000, was actually not around when Dallas made a draft night trade to acquire Nowitzki back in 1998, but he has certainly been around to see the big German grow into a superstar.
By Nowitzki's third season in the league, he was already averaging over 20 points per game and was already demonstrating just how deadly he would be from beyond the arc, shooting 38.7 percent from three-point range.
He then made his fourth All-Star team during his fourth year, and from that point on, he made 11 straight All-Star appearances. Overall, Nowitzki has made it to 14 All-Star Games, including this season when he was named a special addition to the game by commissioner Adam Silver.
Nowitzki also won an MVP award during the 2006-07 campaign.
But, of course, the 40-year-old's shining moment came during the 2010-11 season, when he led the Mavericks to an NBA championship, defeating a LeBron James and Dwyane Wade-led Miami Heat team in six games in one of the greatest finals performances in history.
On Tuesday night, Nowitzki will play what will almost certainly be the final home game of his career. You can only imagine the ovation he will receive.
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