NBA: Ranking every MVP winner in league history: 15. Dirk Nowitzki
Stats:
- 20.7 points
- 7.5 rebounds
Accomplishments:
- 14 time All-Star
- 12 time All-NBA
- 1 time MVP
- 1 time NBA champ
- 1 time Finals MVP
It’s essentially a lost art in today’s game. A bonafide superstar sticking on one team despite the trials and tribulations that came along with it.
When it comes to Dirk Nowitzki, his career was anything but perfect. After a slow first year, Nowitzki was about as consistent as you could be. He was always good for about 25 points, eight boards and a boatload of threes.
But no matter how great he was, the big German had plenty of embarrassing moments. The first came during the 2005-06 season when Nowitzki and his Mavericks held a 2-0 lead against the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. The Mavs would then proceed to choke away their lead and cough up their chance at a ring, losing four straight. The following season, Nowitzki pocketed his first and only regular season MVP after averaging 24.6 points and 8.9 rebounds on shooting splits of 50.2/41.6/90.4. He did all this while leading the Mavericks to the best record in the league at 67-15.
Still, that wasn’t enough as the Mavs were tossed from the playoffs in the first round. But what did Nowitzki do? He didn’t run with his tail between legs and make a super team. He also didn’t fraternize with the competition and put together a plan to take over the league together. No, instead, he bit down and grinded it out.
In the end, everything paid off as Nowitzki and his Mavericks won the 2010-11 NBA Finals. It might be his only ring but considering how hard he worked for it, his one championship is worth much more than the marginalized rings today’s superstars often end up with.