All About All-Stars, Part Two: Dirk Deserves Better

Speaking of class acts, perennial All-Stars, and my beloved Mavericks, I was thrilled when Dirk was named to his 10th straight All-Star team. I love seeing Dirk get honored not only because he is a phenomenal basketball talent, but because he is a good guy off the court as well. But the one thing that eats at me is how Dirk is always named as a reserve, never a starter (aside from the one year he was substituted in for an injured starter). That simple fact tells me that while the coaches around the league recognize Dirk’s talent and realize how truly amazing he is, aside from a small throng of crazed Mavericks/Nowitzki fans such as myself, the average NBA fan doesn’t appreciate Dirk; they never have, and most likely never will.

Maybe being a lifelong Mavs fan and watching Dirk on a regular basis over the past decade, I’m not the most objective person when it comes to Nowitzki. But even the casual NBA fan should be able to recognize what Dirk has done for not just the Mavericks, but the NBA. He was one of the first European players to really make his mark in this league. Before Dirk, (and not counting Larry Bird) how many seven footers can anyone remember sitting outside the three point line, knocking down daggers? Who else in this league provides as much of a defensive challenge, not for individuals but for entire teams, as does Dirk? In 2007, when Dirk became the first ever European born MVP, he virtually cemented his place in the Basketball Hall of Fame. Yet, because his style of play is nontraditional, because he is not flashy and egotistical and because he puts the team ahead of himself, NBA fandom (outside of Dallas) is reluctant to embrace the big German.

And the fact of the matter is, Dirk doesn’t really care. He doesn’t play for fame or notoriety, fortune or endorsement deals. Unlike LeBron James and Kobe Bryant (who spent the better part of the All-star game trying to one up each other) Dirk Nowitzki plays purely for the love of the game. Truth be told, he would rather avoid the crowds and the spotlight than be in the center of it all. Which only makes those of us who appreciate and respect Dirk adore him that much more. He may never be voted an All-Star by the NBA fandom, but Dirk Nowitzki will always be an All-Star – both on and off the court.