A great stalwart for basketball, Dirk Nowitzki was one of the first Europeans to become the face of an NBA franchise. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame last night. The 14x NBA All-Star rightly deserves a place in the sacred institution. This year’s HOF class is a first of its kind as it boasts 3 Europeans within its ranks. Dirk is joined by Spanish icon Pau Gasol, as the two were credited by their third HOF counterpart ahead of the ceremony.

The rise of European basketball is evident as stars like Nikola Jokic, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, and more have become the best players in the league. Legends such as Nowitzki paved the way for the European stars of today.

Legends like Dirk Nowitzki, Tony Parker, and Pau Gasol paved the way for today’s European stars

San Antonio Spurs legend Tony Parker joined Dirk Nowitzki and Pau Gasol in this year’s HOF as the three made Europe proud. Winning 4 championships during his time in Texas, the Frenchman spoke to the media ahead of the HOF ceremony, as he was questioned about his thoughts on being the “first wave of international players” in the NBA.

Parker was quick to respond to the query as he believed it was “pretty cool” to be a part of the first wave as he complimented the rise of international basketball. Believing that the basketball culture in Europe had “exploded“, the 2007 Finals MVP explained that Dirk was the one who changed the narrative of Europeans in the NBA.

Ponting out that the German was the first international player to become a franchise player, the 41-year-old elaborated, “I always say Dirk is the GOAT for European basketball and he was the first one who was a franchise player.”?Continuing to speak on the subject, the Spurs legend then credited Gasol and himself as he stated, “Then Pau came along and then me.”

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While Parker credited Dirk and Pau for becoming the first Europeans to turn into franchise players, the 4x NBA champion didn’t stop there. Recounting a time when he was the face of the San Antonio Spurs, the Belgium-born Frenchman grinned toward the reporters as he hooted his own horn.

Waxing his lyrical, the 6x All-Star revealed that he was made the face of the Spurs by Coach Pop between 2011 and 2015 as they reached 2 NBA Finals under his stewardship. Continuing to boast about his influence in the game, the guard stated, “We inspired a lot of people. And I always took it very seriously to be a greater ambassador for French?basketball.”

What are your thoughts on Parker’s take? Did they pave the way for European stars of today? Let us know in the comments below.

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