Nikola Jokic explains his admiration for Dirk Nowitzki: “He didn’t abandon the team”

DALLAS – When Nikola Jokic was asked his favourite memories of Mavericks fable Dirk Nowitzki connected Monday night, helium unwittingly gave Denver’s franchise much comfortableness than anyone asked for.

While gushing implicit Nowitzki, who Jokic described arsenic “probably the champion European scorer,” the Nuggets’ franchise centerpiece seemingly reinforced his committedness to the lone squad he’s ever known.

“He’s 1 of the fewer guys that was playing for 1 squad their full life, their full career,” Jokic said. “He won the title, helium won a ring. I really, truly respect him. Just due to the fact that of that. Because helium didn’t quit, helium didn’t wantonness the team. I truly respect that.”

Jokic tin beryllium a escaped cause aft the 2022-23 season, but by winning the MVP past season, he’s besides eligible to motion a five-year supermax woody this summertime valued astatine $254 million.

Not that Jokic has ever fixed them immoderate crushed to judge he’d leave, but his comments connected Nowitzki should bolster their assurance that the champion subordinate the franchise has ever known is agelong for Denver.

When answering the question pursuing Denver’s 103-89 nonaccomplishment to the Mavs, though, Jokic brought up the aforesaid iconic images everyone associates with Nowitzki: his fadeaway, and his championship, successful 2011, implicit Miami.

“Basketball-wise helium was really, truly … similar a killer,” Jokic said. “He had that instinct. He could springiness you 40, 50. He was unstoppable.”

As overmuch arsenic helium admires him, Jokic said helium didn’t survey the Mavericks’ legend, acknowledging their games were wholly different.

“He’s unique, he’s not thing that you tin copy,” Jokic said.

But the parallels, from their inheritance to their humble persona, are there.

In summation to Nowitzki, Jokic has long-admired Tim Duncan, who lone knew 1 franchise successful his Hall of Fame vocation arsenic well. Jokic has said earlier that he’d similar to beryllium the Duncan of Denver.

Monday’s comments should lone reenforce that claim.