Dirk Nowitzki has been a fixture in the NBA for a long, long time — 19 seasons, to be exact. He’s made 13 All-Star Games, won an NBA championship, and claimed an MVP award.
Though it’s been a long time since the “Big Three” era in Dallas, Dirk is still a valuable NBA forward. This season, he averaged 14.2 points and 6.5 boards per game. Fortunately, he’s not ready to retire.
Any NBA player would be lucky to have a career like Dirk’s. Harrison Barnes is looking to have a similar impact. Recently, he asked Dirk about his sustained success, and Dirk in response roasted Barnes.
“I remember one day at practice,” Barnes recalled, “we’re standing on the sidelines on the gym and said, ‘Oh man, Dirk, you’re about to get to 20 years. That’s impressive. Do you think I can get to 20 years?’ He’s like, ‘No way man. You need major skill to get to 20 years.’ So that’s kind of the nature of our relationship.”
Harrison Barnes asked Dirk Nowitzki if he could play 20 years in the NBA.
Dirk's response:
pic.twitter.com/Tvaf9miYFs— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 24, 2017
That’s true to character for Dirk; he has a hilarious sense of humor. Though he joked with Barnes, he also clearly cares about mentoring young players.
“He’s all about giving back,” Barnes said. “He’s all about people. The biggest thing for me when I came to Dallas was how open and willing he was to work with young guys. Work on the court every day, be willing to talk, have access to. Guys of his status, All-Stars or future Hall of Famers, can kind of be distant, ‘I just want to finish up career and create my legacy.’ But he’s super down-to-earth and that’s what I think helped us last year as far as my transition and me playing better. A lot of that gives credit to him.”
If you remember, Nowitzki also trolled Barnes a few months back, so the two have a unique relationship.
