Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA, Kevin Garnett 2008-01-13, CC BY-SA 2.0
Keith Allison from Baltimore, USA, Dirk Nowitzki 2, CC BY-SA 2.0
Note: Updated for Kevin Garnett’s 2020 Hall of Fame selection.
Throughout most of the NBA’s history, seven-foot centers and forwards have traditionally played close to the basket and focused on scoring and rebounding in the paint. In the mid to late-1990s, however, the first wave of “unicorn” players began to emerge in the shape of versatile seven-footers who could dribble, pass, and shoot with the skills of a guard (yes, that included making three-pointers). Two of these early unicorns were high schooler Kevin Garnett and German-born Dirk Nowitzki, who went from being raw, but talented teenagers to franchise faces and league MVPs. With both players having retired in recent years, the landscape of the NBA has changed dramatically since when they first entered the league – now, positionless seven-footers such as Kevin Durant, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Kristaps Porzingis are becoming increasingly valuable for their unique skill sets. As we look back upon a couple of the prototypes of the modern basketball player, a natural question arises:
Who was better – Kevin Garnett or Dirk Nowitzki?
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