Flashback - Kareem calls Dirk a “One trick Pony”

[Project Pooch]

Yahoo is now a part of Verizon Media

Then being on the same NBA 2K22 cover Made me remember this ether



“but I don't think that he was able to have a dominant career because he couldn't do other things. Like defense and rebounding”

 

[Hey_zeus]

He's not wrong tho.

 

[Thegospel]

He's not wrong tho.

One helluva trick though. And he led his team to two finals appearances. What qualifies as dominant?

 

[Megadeus]

ABDUL-JABBAR: You asked about Dirk Nowitzki. Dirk Nowitzki's shot is very hard to block, but I don't think that he was able to have a dominant career because he couldn't do other things. If he could have shot like that and rebounded and played defense and blocked shots, then he would have been all-around, and he would have gotten more credit. He was like a one-trick pony.

You want guys that can shoot like that on your team. I'm not saying that he lacked value, but he would have been considered at a higher level if he had done more on the court other than just shoot the ball.

Fair points

 

[Hey_zeus]

One helluva trick though. And he led his team to two finals appearances. What qualifies as dominant?

Exactly what Cap said. Imagine if Dirk rebounded and defended like Timmy with his scoring. That's dominating. Effecting both sides of the game. 2 Finals appearances is dominating?

 

[Tom Foolery]

As I've said before, that championship completely changed the way people talk about Dirk and his legacy.

Dude was seen as soft, an underachiever and a borderline joke. Then overnight cats had him in their top 10.

 

[MJ Truth]

As I've said before, that championship completely changed the way people talk about Dirk and his legacy.

Dude was seen as soft, an underachiever and a borderline joke. Then overnight cats had him in their top 10.

Add into it WHO his team beat that season and the fact they didn’t have any other superstar in their prime (despite the fact that team was full of players who were great and All Star level at various parts of their careers) and Dirk got elevated out of the stratosphere.

 

[Juggalo Fred]

Add into it WHO his team beat that season and the fact they didn’t have any other superstar in their prime (despite the fact that team was full of players who were great and All Star level at various parts of their careers) and Dirk got elevated out of the stratosphere.

And rightfully so







































He's still no KG though

 

[Surreal]

Top 10 scoring and top 30 rebounds

 

[GOAT]

He pretty much was.

 

[Surreal]

Playoffs Cap avg 24 and 10

Playoffs Dirk avg 25 and 10

 

[Project Pooch]

Playoffs Cap avg 24 and 10

Playoffs Dirk avg 25 and 10

 

[Thegospel]

Exactly what Cap said. Imagine if Dirk rebounded and defended like Timmy with his scoring. That's dominating. Effecting both sides of the game. 2 Finals appearances is dominating?

You missed the part about leading. How many non dominate players led their team to 2 finals winning 1? I'll wait

 

[JJ Lions]

For those that never read Kareem's Open Letter to Wilt:

"People will remember that I worked with my teammates and helped us win. You will be remembered as a whining crybaby and a quitter, stats and all."

Full letter:

Kareem’s open letter to Wilt “Chumperlame” | Basketball Network

An Open Letter to Wilt Chumperlame
It’s been several years now, Wilt, that you have been criticizing my career with your friends in the press. Since this pattern does not seem to have any end in sight, I feel that I might as well have my say about the situation.

It would seem that someone who achieved as much as you did would be satisfied with his career. After all, some of the things you did in your time were quite admirable and have given us an enduring set of records for the books. So why all the jealousy and envy?

In trying to figure this out, I started to look for what you would be jealous of, and that’s when the picture started to become clear. Many remember how frustrated you were when your team couldn’t win the NCAA tournament. Your talent and abilities were so great that everyone assumed the NCAA was all yours. But after a terrific triple-overtime game, Kansas lost. You complained about the officiating, your teammates and other things, and then quit, leaving college early to tour with the Globetrotters. That seemed to set a pattern for you. After any tough test in which you didn’t do well, you blamed those around you and quit.

In professional basketball, Bill Russell and the Boston Celtics gave you a yearly lesson in real competitive competence and teamwork. All you could say was that your teammates stunk and that you had done all you could, and besides, the refs never gave you a break. Poor Wilt.


In 1967, your team finally broke through. That 76er team established records that are still standing today. But the following year, the Sixers lost and, predictable as ever, you quit. You came out to L.A. and got with a dream team. The only lack that team had was leadership at the center position. Bill and the Celts took one from you in ’69, and the Knicks followed suit in ’70. People are still trying to figure out where you disappeared to in that series. True to form, after the Knicks beat the Lakers in the world championship in 1973, you quit and haven’t been seen on the court since.

Of course, you came out every so often to take a cheap shot at me. During the sixth game of the world championship series in 1988, you stated, “Kareem should have retired five years ago.” I can now see why you said that. If I had quit at the time you suggested, it would have been right after a disappointing loss to the 76ers. And it would have been typical of one of your retreats.

But after that loss, I decided that I had more to give. I believed in myself and in the Lakers and stuck with it. We went on to win three out of four world championships between ’85 and ’88. The two teams you played on that won world championships, in ’67 and ’72, never repeated. They never showed the consistency that the Lakers of the ‘80s have shown. And you didn’t want me to be part of that.

Given your jealousy, I can understand that. So, now that I have left, one thing will be part of my legacy: People will remember that I worked with my teammates and helped us win. You will be remembered as a whining crybaby and a quitter, stats and all.

 

[Malcolmxxx_23]

As I've said before, that championship completely changed the way people talk about Dirk and his legacy.

Dude was seen as soft, an underachiever and a borderline joke. Then overnight cats had him in their top 10.

Nash used to give him work