Magic Coach Jamahl Mosley Praises 'Great Friend' Dirk Nowitzki

Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley speaks on the impact of former Dallas Mavericks German star Dirk Nowitzki.

Dallas Mavericks Hall-of-Famer Dirk Nowitzki had the opportunity to change many careers over the span of his 21 NBA seasons. 

Among those careers Nowitzki changed was Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley, who coached Nowitzki in the final years of his career from 2014-19.

"With Dirk, there are so many stories," Mosley said on the HoopsHype Podcast. "Over the years, we became great friends, coaching against him early on with Denver and Cleveland and then being about to be in the gym with him. What stood out more than anything was his tireless and relentless work ethic. He was a guy who felt he never had done enough. He was always in the gym first and staying late, working on his craft until he hit a certain number of shots."

Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley and Paolo Banchero / Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports

Mosley had plenty to praise the German star about, including his humility on and off the court along with his process as a player.

"I sat and watched Dirk with the legendary Holger Geschwindner go through his routine without saying a word," Mosley said. "Holger would just point, and Dirk would move, and they’d have different cadences of what they were doing. It was beautiful to watch. The other part is the human being he is. I’ve never seen Dirk turn down an autograph or take a picture with someone. The humility he possesses as a human being and what he gives back, you can’t say enough about him as a player and a man."

It is safe to say that Mosley takes the things he learned from Nowitzki and applies them to his team. The reverence he shows for the NBA legend shows the impact that Dirk left on the game of basketball.