Dynamic scorers, former MVPs, and team leading big men. Dirk Nowitzki and Karl Malone are two of the greatest power forwards the NBA has ever seen. But who is the better All-Time player?
In 1998 Dirk Nowitzki was selected 9th overall in the NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bucks traded Nowitzki to the Dallas Mavericks before he could play a single game in Milwaukee. During Nowitzki’s first season he was nothing close to impressive as he only averaged 8.2 PPG, 3.4 RPG and 1.0 APG in 20.4 MP. But Nowitzki would do nothing but improve his game. Just three years after his unimpressive rookie year, Nowitzki made his first All-Star game (13 total appearances). For the next several years Nowitzki would still be getting better until he finally reached what is considered his prime in the 2006-2007 NBA season as he won the NBA MVP award averaging 24.6 PPG 8.9 RPG and 3.4 APG. The next season was his first season with the great point guard Jason Kidd who played great with Nowitzki. Three seasons later the Mavericks roster with players consisting of Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Kidd, Tyson Chandler, Shawn Marion, and Jason Terry won the NBA Championship against LeBron James’ Miami Heat, and Dirk Nowitzki was awarded the Finals MVP. Besides his previously mentioned rookie season Dirk Nowitzki has played great every season of his career. Nowitzki will be remembered as possibly the greatest foreign born player of All-Time and without a question the greatest Dallas Maverick.
Dirk Nowitzki’s career averages: 22.1 PPG 7.9 RPG 2.6 APG FG% 47.5 3P% 38.3
Dirk Nowitzki has done almost everything possible in a NBA career. Nowitzki is a NBA Champion, NBA Finals MVP, NBA MVP, 13x NBA All-Star, 4x All-NBA First Team member, 50-40-90 club member, Dallas Mavericks All-Time leading scorer, 6th on the NBA All-Time scoring list (Behind Wilt Chamberlin), NBA 3-Point Shootout Champion, and a NBA Shooting Stars Champion.
Karl Malone was drafted in 1985 by the Utah Jazz while his long time teammate John Stockton was drafted the previous year. Stockton and Malone played 18 seasons together and never once missed the NBA Playoffs. They are two of the most in sync duos in NBA history. In Malone’s rookie year he was already playing great basketball as he averaged 14.9 PPG, 8.9 RPG, and 2.9 APG and finished third in rookie of the year voting (Behind Xavier McDaniel and Patrick Ewing). But Malone was only getting better as he improved his points per game every season for four years until the 1989-90 season where he averaged a career high 31.0 PPG. Malone had several great seasons, especially in 1997 ( 27.4 PPG 9.9 RPG 4.5 APG and 1.4 SPG 64-18 record) and 1999 ( 23.8 PPG 9.4 RPG 4.1 APG and 1.3 SPG) when he won his two NBA MVP awards. Karl Malone and the Utah Jazz were never enough to win an NBA Championship, but he was extremely efficient and a completely dominate player. Karl Malone is remembered as possibly the greatest power forward of All-time and one of the greatest scorers we have ever seen.
Karl Malone’s career averages: 25.o PPG 10.1 RPG 3.6 APG and 1.4 SPG FG% 51.6
Karl Malone’s career was full of accomplishments. Karl Malone is a 2x NBA MVP, 14x NBA All-Star, 2x NBA All-Star Game MVP, 11x All-NBA First Team member, Utah Jazz All-Time leading scorer, All-Time leader in free throws made and attempted, All-Time leading defensive rebounder, second on the All-Time scoring list (Only behind Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and a 2x Olympic Gold Medalist.
Dirk Nowitzki and Karl Malone are both extremely successful and influential power forwards. While Karl Malone may be a little more of a dominate statistical force, having one more MVP and being better on defense, Dirk Nowitzki is an NBA Champion and a NBA Finals MVP. Dirk Nowitzki has had a more successful NBA career, and because of that Dirk Nowitzki is a better All-Time player than Karl Malone.
