Yes, Dirk Nowitzki spent his entire 21-year NBA career in Dallas and it is clear that this partnership ended up being pretty great, especially considering he conquered a league championship and eventually earned a Hall of Fame induction. However, ever wondered what wouldโve happened if the German had stayed in Milwaukee?
Dirk’s Alternate Path
Imagine for a moment that Dirk Nowitzki never had a statue outside the Mavericks’ arena. Instead, what if he had been picked by the Bucks in the 1998 NBA Draft? That almost happened, but then he was traded to Texas for Robert "Tractor" Traylor.
Considering Milwaukeeโs rich German heritage, Dirk thinks he would’ve enjoyed playing there. On Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s podcast, he said, โI think Milwaukee would have been great.โ
How many championships would the Bucks have won if we never traded Dirk Nowitzki?
โ Tyler Swish (@MalikThr33sly)
โA lot of bratwursts,โ Dirk joked on The Thanalysis Show. He added that while Dallas became his home and things worked out well for him there, Milwaukee could’ve been fun too.
The Draft Day Decision
Dirk understood why the Bucks chose Traylor over him. โThey wanted Tractor Traylor who was really good at Michigan,โ he explained.
He also shared that during the draft, he was still in Germany and unsure about his NBA future. โI didnโt go to the draft,โ Dirk said. โI wasnโt sure Iโd play in Europe more or get drafted high.โ
After being selected as the 9th pick due to a draft-night trade, Don Nelson visited Wurzburg to recruit him personally. โNelson flew me back to Dallas where I met Steve Nash and Michael Finley,โ Dirk recalled with excitement.
Fans often wonder how different things could have been.
Jason Kidd’s Coaching Journey
Nowitzki also spoke about Jason Kiddโs transition from player to coach. He noticed Kiddโs potential early on when they were teammates.
โWhen we played together, you could already tell he was going to be a coach,โ said Dirk about Kiddโs analytical mind and interactions with coaches.
Here’s an interesting video about their draft day: https://www.youtube.com/embed/LeHG-8D2Yug
Kidd has since become known for connecting well with players and earning their respect through inspiration and loyalty.
Kidd’s Growth as a Coach
Dirk noted that Kidd has evolved since his early coaching days with Milwaukee during Giannis Antetokounmpoโs second year. โI heard some stories from Milwaukee,โ said Dirk. He mentioned that Kidd wanted more control back then because it was a young team.
But now he’s different!
