Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic have a special relationship. Not only is the latter picking up the former's mantle as franchise player of the Dallas Mavericks, but Doncic is also following in Nowitzki's footsteps as the latest elite-level NBA talent who calls Europe home. One more trait the Dallas stars share, apparently? A fondness for some good-natured ribbing on social media.

After Nowitzki, along with Kyrie Irving, was named honorary coach of All-Star weekend's Rising Stars Challenge, Doncic got ahead of his teammate embracing the oft-fiery coaching rhetoric of Mavericks head man Rick Carlisle.

Dirk Nowitzki, in return, wouldn't even commit to giving Luka Doncic the amount of playing time that warrants audible criticism.

Carlisle, who guided Dallas to the 2011 title with Nowitzki leading the way on the floor, has a well-earned reputation of preferring to play veterans over rookies and younger players. He's made an exception for Doncic, though, putting the ball in the precocious playmaker's hands since the season began, and mostly living with the results.

In one memorable sequence during Dallas' loss to the Boston Celtics in early January, Carlisle, after a bad shot by Doncic, brought Devin Harris to the scorer's table to sub in for the Rookie of the Year favorite, which probably would have led to a tongue-lashing on the bench. Before the next stoppage of play, though, Doncic changed Carlisle's mind by burying a 28-footer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESbFEpiTWhY

Will Nowitzki's leash be as short as Carlisle's normally is, or extended to accommodate a rare player like Doncic? We won't know for certain until the Rising Stars Challenge tips off on Friday, February 15. Either way, it sure seems the Mavericks' living embodiments of past and future will relish the opportunity to interact as coach and player.

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