Kelly Olynyk Showed Some Love For Dirk Nowitzki After Taking One Of His Patented, One Footed, Fadeaway Jumpers

Source- On Wednesday night, however, Olynyk honored Nowitzki in the most brazen way possible: He attempted to use his signature move against him.

On the final play of the first quarter, Olynyk got Nowitzki isolated at the top of the key following a Boston offensive rebound. As the final seconds ticked off, Olynyk drove hard at the basket with his left hand, then stepped back for a one-foot fadeaway as Nowitzki watched helplessly from his heels.

The shot kicked up off the front of the rim, then rolled off the side at the buzzer. Both Nowitzki and Olynyk smiled and, as the two crossed paths going to their respective benches, Olynyk could be seen saying, "I had to."

After the game, Nowitzki was asked about Olynyk stealing his move.

"That was cold-blooded, but it looked pretty good, and it almost went in. So I was a little fortunate there."

What did Nowitzki say to Olynyk after the play?

"I said, ‘Don’t give me my own move,'" Nowitzki said with a laugh.


Can we all just take a second to recognize how ridiculousness of this exchange? A player was forced into taking a last second, off-balanced bad shot, and he had to pay respects to the player that was guarding him when he did it. Is it possible that we don't give Dirk Nowitzki enough credit? Of the older players still in the NBA, outside of Kobe Bryant who is a shell of his former self, Dirk may be the most legendary. He basically revolutionized the power forward position. The entire concept of the stretch 4 has become such commonplace mainly because of him. So much so, in fact, that I am pretty sure he lays claim to the most patented move in the NBA right now, and it's essentially just an ill advised jump shot. Obviously with Dirk's skill set, and proclivity towards knocking down the mid range jumper, it's never a bad shot, but for literally EVERYONE else in the league that shot choice would leave coaches eyes rolling into the back of their skull. That move has been so clearly copyrighted by Dirk that you can't even use it in his presence without acknowledging him afterwards. That is actually insane. Props to Olynyk for dapping him up and to Dirk for being a good sport about it, but this sequence of events just shows that while we watch Dirk Nowitzki play out his last few years in the NBA, we are witnessing  a historically great career come to a close. He will end up being one of those players you tell your kids about, but we likely won't truly realize what he meant to the sport until he's done playing it.