No, not Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic in this case. It would actually be Nowitzki and Jalen Brunson, who Dallas picked in the second round of the 2018 NBA draft. The Mavs’ all-time leading scorer played his final NBA season in 2018-19 alongside the eventual NBA Finals MVP.
“I gotta say, I did not see that coming. I didn’t think he would be a Finals MVP one day, so really happy for him,” Nowitzki said.
“The whole crew, actually of Knicks, very likable, extremely hard working, and the grit and experience came through. It was amazing to watch.”
Brunson, of course, left Dallas in the summer of 2022, when he signed a four-year, $104 million free-agent contract with New York. In 2024, he signed a 4-year, $157 million extension, leaving $113 million on the table so the franchise could pursue other pieces.
Nowitzki believes Brunson’s play in the Finals made him worth every penny of those deals.
“I was a little worried for him going to the Knicks, getting that contract, being a franchise player in that media market. I can say it now, I was a little worried for him,” Nowitzki said.
“But the way he shouldered that, being clutch, making all those tough shots, I was super happy for him.”