Both Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic have always maintained a friendly bond with each other. Moreover, there have been speculations about what could the scenario have been if the two played together longer than one season for the Dallas Mavericks. The speculations also bring a sense of comparison between the two players. The latest person to share his opinion on this comparison is ex-Mavericks star Shawn Marion.

In an interview on SiriusXM NBA Radio, Marion weighed in on the popular opinion that Luka is better than Dirk. “As far as skillset and scoring-wise, yes. I think that’s not even a question. As far as what Dirk has done, the longevity and history, no. Dirk is a seven-foot assassin with a fadeaway,” Shawn stated.

However, he believes that, as an overall package, Luka has an edge over Dirk. Notably, Marion has played 5 NBA seasons alongside Nowitzki in Dallas. Marion was part of the roster that got the Dallas Mavericks its maiden and only NBA championship in 2011.

t is worth mentioning that Luka has himself always been nothing but praise for Dirk. He had expressed in an interview in 2023 how lucky he felt to play with Dirk. “The things he has done for Dallas are unbelievable, not just as a player but as a person he did a lot… I think he should be a role model for every player in the league,” he stated.

The glimpse of the duo together in just one season had made Mavericks owner Mark Cuban state back in 2020, “Could you imagine if they were both in their prime? Oh my goodness. That’s MJ and Scottie again.” While everyone will have an opinion on the greatness of both men, how do they stack up against each other statistically?

Statistical comparison between Luka Doncic and Dirk Nowitzki

Luka Magic’s stat line leaves a better impression as of now. But it is important to highlight that the 25-year-old has only played 6 NBA seasons so far. Dirk retired from the NBA in 2019 with 21 seasons to his name. The German Wunderkind averaged 20.7 points per game in his career with 7.5 rebounds and a field goal percentage of 47.1%. This number dropped considerably due to his averages in his last few seasons.
Doncic averages 28.6 points per game along with 8.3 assists and 8.6 rebounds in his six seasons so far, and the same field goal percentage as Dirk. But even if we have a look at Nowitzki’s first six seasons, Luka still has an edge over his senior. Dirk had averaged 21.3 points per game in his first six seasons.

However, the important factor to take into consideration is that Dirk played 4 of these 6 seasons when hand-checking was still legal in the NBA. A ban was imposed on hand checking in 2004, thus allowing higher scoring. Additionally, Dirk led the Mavericks to its first NBA championship in 2011. He also became the NBA Finals MVP that season. So even though Luka has a better visible stat line, a clear conclusion cannot be solely based on that.
Who do you think is a better player between the two? Let us know your opinion with your reasons in the comments.