Making the leap to the big league can often be a tough challenge for NBA rookies. This sometimes even holds true for those who had plenty of playing experience before getting drafted. Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki is a perfect example of this.
Before joining the Dallas Mavericks in 1998, the young talent had already represented his country and dominated Germany's second basketball league. However, when 'Dirkules' arrived to the States, continuing that dominance proved to be difficult.
"I was up and down: One good game, then one terrible game. I started the season in the starting five. But I was lost every game. I was horrible," Nowitzki recounted , per SLAM Magazine.
Rapid rise, steep fall
The 16-year-old Nowitzki joined DJK Würzburg's first team squad in the summer of 1994. The teenager gradually established himself for his hometown team and soon earned a spot in the starting lineup. With an outstanding average of 28.2 points per game, Dirk later played a crucial role in DJK's promotion. Consequently, the forward was named 'German Basketballer of the Year.'
However, after being drafted ninth overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in 1998—he was immediately traded to the Mavs— significant struggles in his rookie season began to unfold. Nowitzki only averaged 8.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 20.4 minutes per game. Furthermore, his defensive shortcomings were heavily criticized. These challenges even led the seven-footer to consider an unfavorable return to Germany.
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Overcoming rookie struggles
Nowitzki's rookie struggles can be attributed to more than just the typical challenges young players face in establishing themselves in the league. For instance, the then-Mavs talent did not have the privilege of enjoying a full preseason with his new team. As he recalled, this was due to the 1999 NBA Lockout, stating, "We only had one week of training camp, and I didn't even pick up all the rules or plays."
Another challenge was that the German played for the first time away from home, encountering a foreign country and an at least somewhat unfamiliar language.
"I knew English pretty well, but I didn't speak all the slang, and there's some basketball stuff, too," recounted the 2007 MVP.
However, one of the greatest Euro players ever was never one to back down from a challenge. Therefore, after his rookie season, he returned to his homeland to work with his mentor, Holger Geschwindner, on all the weaknesses in his game. To put it mildly, these workouts proved quite successful.
Nowitzki's sophomore NBA stats saw a big jump to 17.5 points and 6.5 boards per game not long after he finally broke out. In 2002, the seven-footer made his first of 14 total All-Star appearances. At the very latest, by this point, 'Dirkules' had masterfully overcome all of his initial struggles.
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