Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki had some words of praise for new teammate Kristaps Porzingis, tagging him as a franchise player.

Per Dwain Price of mavs.com, Nowitzki believes that whenever teams have the chance to get a player like Porzingis, then they should go for it. He pointed out Porzingis' playstyle — a 7-foot-3 center who has a soft touch from the outside — just like Nowitzki himself.

“I think if you have a chance to add a franchise-caliber player like Porzingis, you just got to go for it. He's got a franchise-type player game. He's a perfect fit for the new NBA. I obviously spent last time around him last year in the Africa Games. “

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But the difference them is Kristaps Porzingis is definitely quicker and more mobile. Nevertheless, these types of players comprise of what Nowitzki calls “the new NBA.”

Gone are the days when big men camp on the paint to score or snag a rebound. In today's NBA, big men are a prized asset whenever they have a shooting stroke from the outside.

It may take sometime before Mavericks fans see Porzingis play as he's still out nursing an ACL tear. But they can safely assume that Dirk Nowitzki is sharing some tips and lessons to the Mavericks' future franchise player.