Charles Barkley Didn’t Know Who Dirk Nowitzki Was

A year later, he was drafted to the NBA by the Milwaukee Bucks and traded to the Dallas Mavericks—where he spent his entire career.

During the 2019 NBA All-Star Weekend in Charlotte, North Carolina, Barkley spoke highly of Nowitzki while retelling the story, yet again. He told media, “When he got 50 on us, a bunch of NBA players, at 18 years old, I knew he was the real deal… He’s the greatest foreign basketball player ever. It’s been an honor and privilege to play against him, and he’s just a great person too.”