Dirk Mavs Motivation: 'Are KG and Duncan Still In Bed?'

Dirk Nowitzki Mavs Motivation: 'Are Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan Still In Bed?'

DALLAS – Dirk Nowitzki boasted highlights galore during his 21 NBA seasons in Dallas, leading the Mavericks to their first and only NBA title in 2011.

He slammed, rebounded, jump shot, juked and awed his way to 14 All-Star Games, NBA MVP in the 2006-07 and NBA Finals MVP in 2010-11.

Where did the now-retired German icon find the motivation to become Dallas’ greatest-of-all-time? Similarly to Michael Jordan creating scenarios in his head to push himself (as documented in “The Last Dance”), Nowitzki would picture his competition to jump out of bed in the morning.

“There were obviously times where I wasn’t always motivated, but I always found a way,” Nowitzki told Trey Athletes, as reported by Mavs.com. “I’m laying in bed in the morning and I don’t want to get up and I’m saying to myself, ‘Hey, Kevin Garnett is not laying in the bed right now sleeping, and Tim Duncan ain’t laying in the in the bed sleeping, so get your butt up and go to practice.’”

Nowitzki, who just landed on at No. 19 on ESPN’s list of best players in NBA history, continued…

“Even the pros sometimes have a tough time motivating themselves and you’ve got to play mind tricks and you’ve got to find little things to get you going,” Nowitzki said.

Duncan, Garnett and Nowitzki ruled as the best "versatile big men'' in the 2000’s. In an era before Instagram, Nowitzki couldn’t hop on the app to see his rivals’ workout videos or viral dunks at practice, so the Mavs legend motivated himself the old-fashioned way.