Dirk Nowitzki cracks a wide smile and his eyes light up as he remembers one of the early influencers of his hall of fame career: a Canadian-German star who was one of the first great players the veteran Dallas Mavericks forward watched regularly.
There may not be many Canadian basketball fans who recall Mike Jackel, but Nowitzki gets animated when his name is brought up and he’s asked if he remembers him.
“Of course,” Nowitzki said. “That’s my guy. He was the man in the Bundesliga back then. Unbelievable lefty. Mid-range was money. In Bamberg (Germany) there, he was a hero for sure.