The Top 5 Contributors to Dirk Nowitzki’s Success

2. Steve Nash – with Dallas 1998-2004

One of the most ambiguous players in Dallas Mavericks history has to be former point guard and future Hall of Famer, Steve Nash. Nash received the adoration of Mavs fans everywhere during his time in Dallas thanks to his exceptional play and his tenacity on the court. Not many people hustled the way Steve Nash hustled.

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For that reason, Nash was the NBA MVP for two consecutive years, a feat that only a dozen players in NBA history have accomplished. The only problem with this was that Nash did it with the Phoenix Suns. Despite him peaking in his career right after leaving Dallas, Nash played a pivotal role in the development of Dirk Nowitzki.

Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki both came into the Mavericks organization as young, unproven players, playing with veteran, Michael Finley. The three players quickly became the big three in Dallas and took the NBA by storm. At the time, Dallas could beat you in just about any way possible.

Although Nash wasn’t around for Dirk’s glory years, and might have even launched him into his prime by leaving, there is no doubt that he played a very key role in the development of the greatness of Dirk. Whether you love Nash or hate him, he was a very important player to bringing the Mavericks back into relevancy after the 90’s. Just not as important as Dirk.

Next: Jason Kidd