Jermaine O’Neal Says Dirk Nowitzki Was ‘Toughest’ Player He Had To Defend

During an interview with NBA reporter Cyro Asseo de Choch of HoopsHype, former big man Jermaine O’Neal said Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki was the “toughest” player he ever had to defend. 

O’Neal and Nowitzki went head-to-head 28 times during their careers. 

“I would say if I had to, Dirk Nowitzki,” O’Neal said. “He probably was the most difficult one to guard because he could pull up off any foot, like off the dribble, boom, and he’s up, and he’s seven foot tall.

“So, the ball’s been shot from here, so he can be shooting. You’re still moving because you’re trying to, and he’s beating you off the dribble. So, I would probably say it was him because he didn’t really have that off-the-dribble pull. It was just a difficult move to guard. People will say Duncan too, but you kind of knew what Tim (Duncan) would do; he would rock you and try to get you up and try to glass it. But Nowitzki was a different type of matchup.”

Nowitzki is one of the greatest players in NBA history. He averaged 20.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.8 blocks with the Mavericks. 

A Hall of Famer, Nowitzki made 14 All-Star teams and 12 All-NBA teams with the Mavericks. He won the 2007 regular-season MVP Award and guided Dallas to the 2011 championship over the Miami Heat, winning Finals MVP along the way. 

Nowitzki is sixth in NBA history in points. He scored 31,560 points during his illustrious career. The 45-year-old was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023. 

O’Neal was never a superstar like Nowitzki, but he had a productive career, averaging 13.2 points, 7.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.5 steals and 1.8 blocks. He made six All-Star teams and three All-NBA teams and won the 2002 Most Improved Player of the Year Award.