With The 9th Pick, The Milwaukee Bucks Select Dirk Nowitzki…

Feb 3, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks power forward Dirk Nowitzki (41) before the game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

In his 16th season, the Tall Baller from the G, Dirk Nowitzki has accomplished so much and will no doubt be a first-ballot hall-of-famer.

Need I remind you though, that he wasn’t drafted by the Mavericks back in 1998. He was actually drafted 9th overall by…the Milwaukee Bucks.

He was soon traded to the Mavs for the likes of Robert “Tractor” Traylor, who was drafted that same year with the 6th pick, and the rest is history.

Now it’s fun to think. What if Nowitzki stayed with the Bucks? At this point of his career, would he still be a hall-of-famer?

How about the teams? All through the ’90s, the Mavs struggled mightily. If Dirk didn’t come over to Big D, would that struggle continue til now.

The Bucks were just all right. They drafted Ray Allen and made the playoffs, but never made a run. Would they have gone to a Finals or even win a championship?

Look At That Lineup: After missing out on the playoffs for seven straight seasons, George Karl was brought in to coach the Bucks during the 1998-99 season. They had drafted the likes of Allen (1996) and Glenn Robinson (1994), both who could score in bunches. Sam Cassell came over after winning two titles with the Rockets, and was a pretty good point guard. Tim Thomas was a nice big man, and nobody questioned his work ethnic. Nowitzki likely would’ve started at the five, where Traylor started after coming over in the trade. Vinny Del Negro and Dell Curry were the first two off the bench. At the time, even you’d be scared of this lineup.

PG Sam Cassell

SG Ray Allen

SF Glenn Robinson

PF Tim Thomas

C Dirk Nowitzki

Reserves: Dell Curry, Vinny Del Negro, Rafer Alston, Michael Curry

Playoffs Anyone: That year, the Bucks finished 28-22 in a lockout season and 7th in the East, ending their playoff drought. The Bucks would go on to lose in the first round to 2nd-seeded Indiana in three games. Dirk struggled in his rookie season, averaging eight points and three boards while shooting 41 percent in 47 games, starting 24. I don’t see the Bucks changing much in Dirk’s first year if he had stayed in Milwaukee. First round sweep sounds about right. As for Dallas, like Karl, the Mavs got a new head coach in Don Nelson. They also acquired Steve Nash from Phoenix, who started alongside Shawn Bradley and Michael Finley. With Nowitzki, Dallas finished 19-31 and missed the playoffs for the ninth-consecutive year. Even if Dirk was with the Bucks, I think 19-31 or worse is where the Mavs would’ve been.

Tight Bunch: If the Bucks had kept Nowitzki, Milwaukee would’ve had Dirk, Robinson, Allen and Cassell until the 2002 season (Robinson’s last). Allen and Cassell’s last year with the Bucks came the following season. So that bunch would’ve played together for four more years. After Robinson’s departure, the Bucks could’ve had a big three in Dirk, Allen and Cassell. Nowitzki turned a corner during his sophomore season, averaging 18 points and seven boards while starting 81 games. He upped that to 22 and nine while starting all 82 games in his third season. Would he have done that in Milwaukee?

What If: Who knows how Dirk’s career would’ve panned out if he had stayed in Milwaukee. Maybe he’d be the same person, but in a Bucks jersey. Maybe he wouldn’t have clicked with Allen, like he did with Nash, and could’ve been out of the league shortly after.

How It Turned Out: Being a Mavs fan, we’ve been through the ups and down, appearing in two finals and winning one title. Dirk has played all 16 years in Big D and is a 12-time all star. He will go down as the greatest international player and one of the greatest shooters of all time. He is on pace to crack the top-10 in career scoring all time and holds most Dallas-franchise records. No doubt, one day his number 41 will be retired and hung in the rafters and expect a statue to be made in front of the AAC in his honor. I wouldn’t even be surprised if Cuban named the court in Dirk’s honor. Since 1998, this is how the two teams have compared…

MAVERICKS-

756-426 record (0.639 win percentage)

11 50-win seasons

2 division titles

12 playoff appearances

65-66 playoff record (0.496 win percentage)

13 playoff series wins (24 overall)

3 conference finals

2 NBA Finals (2006, 2011)

1 NBA title (2011)

2 Sixth-Man of the Year, 1 MVP, 1 Coach of the Year, 1 Finals MVP

BUCKS-

557-625 record (0.471 win percentage)

1 50-win season

1 division title

8 playoff appearances

19-34 playoff record (0.358 win percentage)

1 playoff series win (10 overall)

1 conference final

1 Executive the Year