1998 — Dirk Nowitzki over Michael Olowokandi
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With some apologies to Paul Pierce and Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitzki is one of the greatest and most important international basketball players of all time, perhaps second only to Hakeem Olajuwon.
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Dirk is still playing for the Dallas Mavericks 21 years later, now over 31,420 points and counting, good for sixth all time. Nowitzki won an MVP in 2007, but he’ll always be remembered first for leading his Mavericks to an NBA title against LeBron’s Miami Heat in 2011, hitting a game winning shot and rightfully named Finals MVP.
That ring was the icing on the cake of an already brilliant career.
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