On this day in 2019, Dirk Nowitzki passed Wilt Chamberlain for sixth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list. Playing against the New Orlean Pelicans, Nowitzki sank one of his trademark fadeaway jumpers in the first quarter to secure the spot. Nowitzki’s 31,560 career points trailed only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Kobe Bryant, LeBron James and Michael Jordan. The 9th pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, Nowitzki spent his entire 21 season career playing for the Dallas Mavericks. One of the most talented centers to play the game, Nowitzki was famous for his one-legged fadeaway jump shot. In the 2010-11 season, Nowitzki led the Mavericks to win their first title in franchise history. Going against the favored Miami Heat team led by Lebron James, the Mavericks overcame a 2-1 deficit to win the 2011 NBA Finals 4-2. Nowitzki was awarded Finals MVP following averages of 26 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 2 assists in the series. Nowitzki’s other accolades include 12x All-NBA Team selections, 50-40-90 club (2007), NBA MVP (2007), and 14x NBA All-Star.
Today in Sports History: March 18
