Nike Basketball News

Dirk Nowitzki: Loyalty Rewarded

tonyhellberg1 — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:46:43 GMT

His coach called him a Top-10 player. Not just right now, mind you.

Of all-time.

The media wanted to shrug. They’d heard such praise tossed around before. Yes, he’d been a perennial All-Star. An All-NBAer. Maybe the best non-sports car export ever created in Germany. Perhaps even: the best shooter in the league’s modern era.

But Miami had the biggest of Big 3s. And they were finally on their championship verge, ready to deliver on nearly a year’s worth of hype.

For more than a decade, Dirk Nowitzki had amazed the masses with his shooting skills. And in this championship series, that did not change. In fact, several @nikebasketball followers remarked that his NBA 2k12 free throw rating will be a perfect 100.

The self-proclaimed “Tall Baller from the G!” seemed like he would never miss.

But the basketball universe got something else in between the endless parade of free throw line makes, rainbow jumpers and one-footed fadeaways. Fans hardcore and casual, opponents brute and gritty and fast and long, even fellow Mavericks in his own locker room watched the big German ascend to a level beyond even the one reached during the 2006-07 regular season - the one that ended with Dirk being named league MVP.

A level where numbers refuse to tell the whole story. Where greatness cannot be measured - not even by historic shooting precedent. When judgement passed on a player becomes a feeling, clutch bleeding into superiority. And fans sitting courtside, in the nosebleeds or in their own living rooms watching on big screen TVs not only know who’s getting the ball when the game’s on the line, they believe the outcome has already been decided - before the ball is even in flight.

On the opening night of the 2011-12 season, a banner will be unveiled at American Airlines Center and the Dallas players will receive their championship rings.

As the 2011 Finals MVP, Dirk will be the last name called. He will undoubtedly receive eardrum-busting cheers. And forever forward, no one will ever be able to shrug when Dirk Nowitzki’s name is mentioned among the all-time greats.

The Collection: Dirk Nowitzki Playoff Edition Hyperdunk 2010

tonyhellberg1 — Sat, 28 May 2011 09:20:23 GMT

There’s a moment every defender dreads. One where they realize no matter how well they’ve guarded their man, a shot is about to be fired.

This moment - and this player - is subtle. A quirky mix of herky-jerky and ballet.

Supported by a pivot point in the forefoot that’s ideal for decisive movement in any direction. Assisted further by a solid rubber herringbone pattern that delivers excellent traction and durability.

Translation: the step-back is happening, it will happen again - and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.

If the regular season is a grind, consider each game of the playoffs magnified at least ten times. Every round a unique challenge; every game a new spotlight.

Dirk is chasing the chip in his Playoff Edition Hyperdunk 2010.

One shot. Off one foot. One unstoppable go-to move at a time.

The Collection: Dirk Nowitzki Player Edition Hyperdunk 2010

tonyhellberg1 — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 21:02:25 GMT

Superior performance: on that 50/40/90 line.

An injection of next-generation Flywire technology; a 7-footer dramatically ahead of his time.

Speed - without sacrificing support and comfort.

Like the scorer who tells his teammates, “This rebound is mine.”

The Hyperdunk 2010 was designed for responsive cushioning on every launch and landing. So the mid-top sneaker has Dirk’s back as the Mavs turn the Western Conference playoff race into their personal high-rise.

The Collection: Shawn Marion Home Player Edition Hyperfuse

tonyhellberg1 — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 23:49:54 GMT

Strong. Stable. Durable. Lightweight. Breathable. Explosive.

When a shoe fuses all of those qualities into its distinct layers, that process revolutionizes they way the industry builds.

Buckets. Boards. Blocks. Steals. All-Star games. Highlight reels.

When a player’s seemingly bionic attributes provide a level of precision unattainable by mere mortals, he enters The Matrix.

The shoe: Nike Zoom Hyperfuse.

The player: Shawn Marion.

This is his Home Player Edition Hyperfuse.

The Collection WBF: Dirk Nowitzki Hyperdunk 2010

tonyhellberg1 — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:07:16 GMT

Today, Germany lays claim to a Top-10 FIBA ranking. But the road to trading elbows in the post as one of the world’s finest international basketball teams is more than a generation in the making.
Rewind:

A desolate scene: German basketball, the final decade of the 20th century rapidly approaching. The country had reunified, sure - but most of its truly elite players were focused on the rigors of making it in the NBA.

Like most of the rest of the basketball-viewing world, young Germans were amazed by the United States’ “Dream Team” in 1992. And by that time, a young Dirk Nowitzki was already being challenged to define himself.

The son of internationally and professionally acclaimed athletes, Dirk chose to dig in. Already literally on the rise - standing a foot or more above his classmates - Dirk began working tirelessly to mold himself into an international superstar.

Dirk introduced one of the most unique skill-sets in NBA history on his way to near-annual appearances at All-Star Weekend and the All-NBA teams. He collected the 2007 NBA MVP award by leading Dallas to the NBA Finals.

Success followed in his native land as well. Germany’s first World Championship and EuroBasket medals in more than a decade coincided with Dirk’s MVP honors at the respective tournaments.

And for the first time since that new generation of German ballers were drawn to the “Dream Team”: a Summer Olympics appearance in Beijing.

Introducing:

The Germany National Team Hyperdunk 2010 and the Dirk Nowitzki WBF Player Edition.

WBF Blog: José Juan Barea

tonyhellberg1 — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 21:40:59 GMT

J.J. Barea

College: a finalist for the Bob Cousy Award. Twice.

What that means: for two years, J.J. was recognized as one of the best point guards the nation had to offer.

Figures: the school’s second all-time leader: points, assists, 3-point field goals made.

NBA: impossible to measure. Each and every game.

What that means: over four seasons, you’ve never known when J.J. might turn any game into his own personal showcase.

2009-10 evidence:

November: 12 assists in 24 minutes.

December: three 20-point outings over a 5-game stretch.

April: 14 points, 6 assists, 4 steals. In just 17 minutes.

International: U-19 top player consideration. U-21 gold medalist and tournament MVP honors. Senior National Team member - and game-winning-shot maker.

Simply: from Mayaguez, Puerto Rico to the prep ranks at Miami Christian School. From Northeastern University to the NBA.

At every stop in between, JJ’s made a career out of stealing the show.

The Collection 3.0: Air Max Hyperfly Caron Butler

TheLetterJ — Thu, 27 May 2010 00:19:48 GMT

After being traded from the Washington Wizards to the Dallas Mavericks, Caron Butler averaged 16.9 points per game, 6.7 rebounds per game, and 2.3 assists per game in Dallas.

Take a look at this Air Max Hyperfly designed for Caron.

The Collection 3.0: Huarache 2010 Shawn Marion

TheLetterJ — Tue, 11 May 2010 13:46:57 GMT

Shawn Marion has been an All-Star four times in his 11-year career. From the 2002-2003 season until the 2008-2009 season, Shawn ranked no worse than seventh in the NBA in steals per game.

Take a look at this Huarache 2010 designed for The Matrix.

The Collection 3.0: Air Max Turnaround Shawn Marion

TheLetterJ — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 15:16:48 GMT

Shawn Marion scored 9 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks to help the Dallas Mavericks to a 100-94 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.

Check out the Air Max Turnaround Shawn was wearing during Game 1.

The Collection 3.0: Hypermax Drew Gooden

TheLetterJ — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 12:00:10 GMT

At the trade deadline in February, Drew Gooden began his week in Dallas, then moved to Washington D.C., then finally landed in Los Angeles, as the newest member of the Clippers.

Despite all the changes - new teammates, new coach, new ZIP Code - Drew is making the best of his situation. In his last five games, he is averaging 15.2 points and 9.6 rebounds.

Check out the Hypermax Drew brought from Dallas - when he wore #90 - to Los Angeles.

All-Star Round-Up: Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers

tonyhellberg1 — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 20:15:53 GMT

The 2010 Eastern and Western Conference NBA All-Star starters will be announced on Thursday, January 21 - right before a game between the Lakers and the Cavaliers. One week later, on January 28, the remaining All-Stars will be named, after the the results of each conference's coaches vote are announced.  nikebasketball.com will be taking a look at players from all over the league, and stating the case on why specific players have earned a vote from the coaches.

Dallas Mavericks

Dirk Nowitzki

Season stats: 25.2 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 39.1% 3PT FG

Another season of stellar all-around play from the Mavs’ go-to guy has the team within a short win streak of the West’s top seed. As it stands, they’re dead even with Denver for No. 2 - just a handful of Ws behind the Lakers. If that’s somewhat of a surprise - and based on a lot of preseason prognosticators, it is - then Dirk deserves a hearty pat on the back. After all, his decade-long stretch as the league’s best-shooting big isn’t. Top-10 in scoring, free throws made and attempted and defensive rebounding. A dozen double-doubles. That 50/40/90 shooting neighborhood once again. And more than a block and a steal per.

Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron James

Season stats: 29.6 PPG, 7.7 APG, 7.1 RPG

How does the defending MVP raise the bar? Through the continued expansion of his game at both ends of the floor. Check. Furthering his role as a leader, keeping the machine running at maximum velocity by incorporating a slew of new parts. Check. Oh - and by turning fastbreak DEFENSE into must-see TV. Check, check, check. Second in scoring. Seventh in assists. The only player even approaching that 30/7/7 line. Career-high shooting percentages across the board. 13 double-doubles. 2 triple-doubles. And a league-wide danger alert: after a somewhat slow beginning, the revved-up Cavs’ are now fighting for the league’s best record.

Mo Williams

Season stats: 16.7 PPG, 5.0 APG, 42.7% 3PT FG

One of the most integral parts to the Cavs’ attack, Mo’s stone-cold swagger is a big reason they’re the only team playing .667 ball home AND away. The Cav’s second-leading scorer and distributor is 42 games into proving last year’s All-Star appearance was no fluke. Mo currently shoots among the league’s Top-10 from both long distance and the charity stripe.

Combat Players of the Week: December 7 to November 13

TheLetterJ — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:28:19 GMT

Basketball is combat. You have to attack your man on both ends of the floor. That means pushing the ball on offense, taking it to the hole, being willing to draw contact and then fight through it to finish. It means attacking on defense. Getting position and maintaining that position. Taking the ball away and altering shots. And owning the glass – being relentless on both the offensive and defensive side.

Every Monday, a guard, a wing, and a big will be nominated as the Combat Players of the Week. The team that exemplifies what Combat is all about will be recognized, as well. Here are the players who were Prepared For Combat last week.

Guard: Deron Williams (Utah Jazz)
D Will dropped 21 points and 11 assists, leading the Jazz to a big win over the Lakers, ending their 11-game winning streak. And he has been leading the Jazz’s attack, getting to the line 25 times while dropping 26 assists over the past two games.

Wing: Rudy Gay (Memphis Grizzlies)
Gay dropped a career high 41 points, hitting 15 of 28 from the field in a big win at Miami. On the season, he's pulling down 6.6 boards/game and locking down 1.7 steals/game – both well above his career averages.

Big: Kenyon Martin (Denver Nuggets)
Martin battled back from a dislocated left pinkie and his tough play led the Nuggets to a big win against Phoenix. His presence on both ends of the floor made the difference - with tough D in limiting the Suns’ pick-and-roll game, plus 12 points and 9 boards.

NBA Team: Dallas Mavericks
The Mavs won 3 tough games this week, Phoenix, Miami, and Charlotte – running their record to 17-7. On the season, Dallas is locking down the opposition, holding them to 44% shooting and 96.8 points per game, both among the league leaders.

NCAA Team: Kentucky Wildcats
In one week they've taken out North Carolina, Connecticut, and Indiana — the Hoosiers by 17 points on the road in a game they got to the line 21 times and more than doubled the Hoosiers on the glass (49-24). UK is now 10-0, riding a wave of momentum.

Who should be the Combat Player of the Week? Williams, Gay, or Martin?

This Is Our Team: Jason Kidd

GHarty — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:54:30 GMT

Is a great point guard the key to Olympic victory? With a record of 44-0 as a leader of Team USA, Jason Kidd would argue yes.

Since the invention of basketball the United States has ruled the hardwood. What started out a physical education experiment in Massachusetts has evolved into a national pastime and a global phenomenon. And since the beginning the US has made the rules, set new standards and invented superstars in the game. In international play, whenever the US stepped out on the court and set the pace, we made the plays and we took home the gold.

So much of the international game can be determined by tempo and style. Having a point guard who can adjust to and excel at any style and create the tempo is not only key, it can mean the difference between taking home the gold, or suffering a crushing defeat.

One look at Jason Kidd's international record can prove this theory. His ability to dictate the game by making sharp decisions and playing to the strengths of his teammates has led Team USA to a perfect 44-0 record when he is running the team.

In 2000 Kidd made his first Olympic appearance and as a tri-captain he guided the team to a perfect 8-0 record and a gold medal. Shooting over 50% from the field and leading the team in assists, Kidd was the perfect pass-first point guard for Team USA. He was able to recognize the opponent’s weaknesses and exploit them. He ran a fast-paced game that broke down defenses, creating shot opportunities where there were none or spreading the floor so eh could feed to an open man.

It’s no surprise that Kidd should be so successful on the international level. Ever since he turned pro, he has been the league’s biggest triple-double threat, racking up 100 in his career in so far. He has transformed franchises, taken his teams to the team finals and been an All-Star nine times. He’s simply the best point guard in the world.

But while Kidd continued to excel in the league after his gold in 2000, things changed for Team USA. Before, winning a gold medal was considered a given, but in 2004, they got a huge wake up call, losing for the first time since building a roster of professionals. For Kidd, the loss was especially hard to take since he had to sit out the 2004 Olympics with an injury.

As Team USA picked up the pieces after losses at the 2004 Olympics and again at the 2006 World Championships, Coach Mike Krzyzewski was excited to have Jason Kidd back in the lineup for Olympic qualifying at the 2007 FIBA Americas tournament.

"His veteran leadership and focus were critical in our success, and his court vision is as good as I've ever seen. He is a joy to coach and when he is on the court it is literally like having a coach on the floor. With Jason directing our offense and distributing the ball, we were able to utilize all of our offensive talents and that made us as a team very successful."

When the tournament was done, Kidd ranked first in the whole competition in assists-to-turnover ratio and Team USA’s gold medal qualified them for the 2008 summer games. His play brought a new energy to the team, allowing them to play their game, consistently make huge plays and revenge losses to teams that outpaced them in tournaments in the past. His performance at the FIBA Americas tournament was so impressive that he was named the USAB Male Athlete for 2007.

Jason Kidd has proven on every level that he has the smarts and experience to lead any team, and in 2008, he plans to build on his 44-0 record for Team USA. With his experience stretching back to the 1999 Olympic Qualifying Team and his successful leadership of six different USA teams, our hope for victory couldn't be in better hands.

More on Jason
Learn his Signature Moves »

More on Team USA
See all Team USA Bio’s »
Browse the Olympic Histories »
Meet the Competition »

The Competition: Dirk Nowitzki

GHarty — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 20:36:56 GMT

Dirk Nowitzki fought to put German basketball on the map. This year, he’s fighting for something else: the chance to put his team at the top of the winner’s podium.

Dirk Nowitzki is the standard by which all German players are measured. He’s revolutionized the role of the big man, with power on the inside and the magic touch from way outside. He’s reached heights in basketball that few players, German or otherwise, have attained. But for all of the success he’s had professionally, he’s yet to get his hands on international gold.

As a teen, Dirk developed his game in relative obscurity, playing for the German ball club DJK Wurzburg. Over the next few years, he became a young star on the team, winning the German Basketballer of the Year award. He had a big year in 1996 when he headlined the German Under-22 National Team, German National Junior Team, European Junior Select Team and the World Junior Team.

He later participated in several Nike tournaments and exhibitions, putting his talents on display for colleges and scouts for the first time. Dirk got the opportunity to go one-on-one with the legendary Charles Barkley, dunking over the top of the future Hall of Famer. His Nike Hoops Summit performance sent a buzz through universities and pro teams across Europe and in the U.S.

Soon, against all odds, this determined young German found himself joining the ranks of the NBA.

His rookie season with the Dallas Mavericks was a difficult one, as he battled against veteran players in a new arena. But each summer, determined as always, he continued to develop his skills in the German league. He made his senior national team debut at the FIBA European championships in 1999, leading the team in scoring and cementing his place as the team’s star. But even with his amazing game, Germany faltered and missed out on qualifying for the 2000 Summer Games.

After bringing his NBA averages up to 23.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, Dirk’s persistence began to pay off for the Germans at the 2002 World Championships. Behind his 24 points per game, he led the tournament in scoring, taking home the MVP award and the bronze medal. But for Dirk, third place wasn’t enough. And two years later, he would again miss his shot at the gold, hampered by a foot injury in Germany’s qualifying campaign for the 2004 Summer Games.

Now, four years later, Germany is fighting for another chance. They still face a tough battle in Athens this summer against Greece, Croatia, Puerto Rico and Brazil for the remaining spots in Beijing.

He’s broken franchise records, earned All-Star appearances and become the first European-born player to win the MVP award. Dirk has single-handedly blazed the trail for German and European players in the NBA. Yet, for all his professional success, he hasn’t yet led Germany to the gold.

In the prime of his career, he has the power to change that fact. The time is now.

More on Team USA
See all Competition Bio’s »
Check out the Olympic Histories »