Several NBA players who are in the league right now would love to team up with the Serbian sensation Luka Doncic. But who does he want to team up with? Doncic joined ESPN’s Malika Andrews for a viral interview, where the young superstar was questioned about which teammate he wanted as a part of his Christmas wish list. However, there is a small added advantage where Doncic could also team up with a former player. After all, it is a Christmas list! 

Of course, nothing would come close to getting back on the floor with his mentor, Dirk Nowitzki. The German legend created a huge impact in Doncic’s career during his final few years in the league. Doncic answered, “Dirk”, to Andrews’s question with a big smile on his face. And also, this was the perfect time for him to mock the 2011 NBA champion. Andrews replied, “Hope your wish comes true”, and Doncic went, “He can’t move no more…But he can shoot still.”

Right after Nowitzki retired, the Dallas Mavericks chose Doncic to be the anchor of the team. It has been almost 5 years and the 24-year-old continues to be the face of the franchise. Doncic was a mere 18 years old when he joined the NBA, moving to the States from Europe. It was probably a big relief to have one of the league’s best European players around for advice on the transition. 

Unfortunately, Doncic’s comments, while meant comically, do touch on an important aspect of Nowitzki’s career.

What is the major injury Dirk Nowitzki continues to suffer from?

Nowitzki played a total of 21 seasons for the Dallas Mavericks. He has several memories to look back on, but there is a huge regret too.

A year after his championship, Nowitzki had to undergo a major knee surgery, which kept him sidelined for two months. Even though he recovered from it, the Mavs started to run unique plays to keep the 2007 MVP out of the paint, due to the seriousness of his injury.

Watch this story: “Stephen Curry yells heart out in joy after breaking Warriors rut”

To be precise, things were never the same for Nowitzki after his injury. Only with his shooting ability, he managed to continue for 7 more seasons. In 2022, he revealed that he regretted not retiring earlier.

Nowitzki believes retiring two years earlier could have put him in a better position physically. His biggest concern is not being able to play with his young kids. 

Read more: Dirk Nowitzki on LeBron James’ Heat Big 3: “We Were Really Fortunate That We Saw Them in Year One… They Were Way More Talented Than We Were at the Time”

Anyhow, nothing can be changed now. Hopefully, Nowitzki can shoot the ball with his children and sometimes with Luka Doncic as well! What are your thoughts on the above story? Share your take in the comments below.