Mavs legend Dirk Nowitzki shut down the comparisons with phenom Luka Doncic, noting that it's not even close.

As per Marc Stein of the New York Times, Nowtizki reminisced for a bit and compared his entry to the NBA to that of teammate and rookie sensation, Luka Doncic. According to Nowitzki, he didn't have the confidence that Doncic has now when he entered the league in 1998. The Mavs veteran even confessed that despite the talent that he possessed, he wasn't even sure if he was going to make it to the NBA:

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“I didn't have that confidence, that swag, when I got in the league. I wasn't sure if I was going to make it in this league. This guy comes here basically knowing he's going to make it in the league. And that's how he carries himself on the court. No fear. It's just completely different.”

Also, the NBA now is different from the NBA before. Like older players point out, the league back then was a whole lot physical. The 40-year-old claims that in today's game, everything is a foul call. Given these circumstances, and the fact that Doncic is a totally different player, it's a pointless exercise to compare the two.

“Also the way the game is now is kind of perfect for him. When I got into the league 20 years ago, it was way more physical. The bigs were just shoving in there and holding. And now everything is a foul call. So I think the rules play right into his wheelhouse. It's not even close to compare us.”