Karl Malone vs Dirk Nowitzki Series
The greatest European player of all time.
Dirk Nowitzki is a German former professional basketball player who played his entire 21-year career as a power forward for the Dallas Mavericks. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards of all time and is considered by many to be the greatest European player of all time.
Quick Facts
- Primary era
- Late 1990s to Early 2000s
- Utah player
- Karl Malone (Power Forward)
- Opponent team
- Dallas Mavericks
- Key meeting
- 2001 Western Conference Semifinals
- Status
- Historical Matchup (Retired Players)
- Series outcome
- Jazz Advanced in 2001
Lore & Background
Nowitzki was selected as the ninth pick in the 1998 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and was immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks. He led the franchise to 15 NBA playoff appearances, including the franchise's first NBA Finals appearance in 2006 and its only NBA championship in 2011. He won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2007 and the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in 2011.
Reader's Guide
Nowitzki is the only player to ever play for a single NBA franchise for 21 seasons. He is a 14-time All-Star, a 12-time All-NBA Team member, the first European player to start in an All-Star Game, and the first European player to receive the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. He is the highest-scoring foreign-born player in NBA history.
Did You Know?
- Nowitzki led the Germany national team to a bronze medal in the 2002 FIBA World Championship and a silver medal in EuroBasket 2005.
- He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023 and into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2026.
- Nowitzki wore jersey number 41 with the Mavericks because number 14 was already taken by Robert Pack.
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