In a recent appearance on Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s podcast, “The Thanalysis Show,” NBA Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki shared some intriguing reflections on his brief association with the Milwaukee Bucks. Drafted by the Bucks in 1998, Nowitzki was traded to the Dallas Mavericks on draft night, a move that would shape the future of both franchises.
Nowitzki, who spent his entire 21-year NBA career with the Mavericks, expressed a sense of curiosity about what his career might have looked like had he stayed in Milwaukee.
“I think Milwaukee would have been great,” Nowitzki said, reminiscing about the draft night that changed everything.
The 1998 NBA Draft saw the Bucks select Nowitzki with the ninth overall pick, only to trade him to the Mavericks in exchange for Robert “Tractor” Traylor. This pre-arranged deal was a significant moment in NBA history, as Nowitzki went on to become one of the greatest players of all time, leading the Mavericks to their first NBA Championship in 2011.
Reflecting on that night, Nowitzki shared,
“I wasn’t even sure I was going to play in the NBA. I didn’t go to the draft; I was in Germany at the time. I never committed that I was going to play in the NBA. I didn’t think I was going to get drafted very high”.
During the podcast, Antetokounmpo pointed out that Nowitzki would have fit right in with Milwaukee’s rich German culture. Nowitzki, whose family still resides in Germany, agreed, joking about the city’s famous bratwursts.
“A lot of bratwursts,” he laughed. “I think Milwaukee would have been fun. Being in Dallas, I enjoyed my time. It’s my new home. I still live there. It ended up working out for me. But I think Milwaukee would have been fun”.
Dirk Nowitzki would have LOVED Milwaukee! @Thanasis_ante43 and @swish41 discuss #NBA Draft Night 1998, and what really happened… pic.twitter.com/yiEz4RsEi8
— Thanalysis Show (@ThanalysisShow) August 13, 2024
While Nowitzki’s career in Dallas is the stuff of legends, his musings about Milwaukee offer a fascinating “what if” scenario. The Bucks, who were looking for size in the 1998 draft, might have had a very different trajectory with Nowitzki on their roster. Instead, Nowitzki’s partnership with the Mavericks brought him immense success and a lasting legacy, including a statue outside the American Airlines Center.
