Shawn Marion won the title in 2011 with the Dallas Mavericks and Dirk Nowitzki. In the interview, he talked about the development of basketball in international comparison and believes that the German Basketball League player can make a leap.
Written by Daniel Ehrenstrasser and Christian Koch
Shawn Marion played a total of 16 seasons in the NBA. The versatile striker was able to defend multiple positions and also became famous for his unorthodox shooting style.
Marion was selected to the All-Star team four times, and capped off his NBA career by winning the title in 2011 alongside Dirk Nowitzki with the Dallas Mavericks.
In the he ran– Interview The 45-year-old talks about the special run to the title, former teammate Dirk Nowitzki and two other Bundesliga stars. He believes one of them will make a breakthrough this year.
he ran: ProSieben and ProSieben MAXX will show the NBA on free-to-air TV next season. Do you have a message for fans of the German Basketball League?
Shawn Marion: Of course I played with “the great German”, Dirk Nowitzki. It’s great that fans there can now watch the NBA on a regular basis!
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he ran: You already mentioned Dirk Nowitzki. What was he like as a person when you played together?
Marion: He was like a big kid (laughs). He knew when to be serious and knew when to have fun. You just have to love that in your monastery. He never pretended, he was himself every game.
he ranDid you notice how much influence Nowitzki had on German fans at that time?
Marion: Yes, I knew it, everyone saw it. Playing against him was one thing. But when I was his teammate, he set a new standard again. Sometimes, you don’t realize how good someone is until you have time to think about them yourself. In everyday NBA life, you’re always focused on competing. After my career, I look back and say “Wow, Dirk was that good!”.
he ran: Can you describe the journey to the 2011 NBA title for us?
Marion: The trip was really special. The crazy part was the preseason. My cousin and I looked at the team in the preseason and said, “If every one of you does your job, you’re going to win the championship this year.” He said this before the first pre-season match. When we played in Orlando, Jason Terry got a tattoo of the championship trophy. When the season started, we slowly started rolling. It was up and down, we had some injuries. But for the most part we stayed calm and on the right track. We brought in some players, some of whom really helped us. When we started the qualifiers, we were completely focused. We pushed each other to new levels. We all improved and felt like no one could beat us. Everyone played their part and we were able to move forward and open the floodgates. We went for it and never looked back.
he ran: It seems like more and more European players are coming to the NBA in recent years. what is the reason?
Marion: Everyone is playing basketball today. People work hard, and you see results. Sports are getting bigger and bigger. It is a new era all over the world. It’s a great sport that brings everyone together. It’s exciting to watch, and it’s exciting to be a part of it. There is no limit there.
Shawn Marion on the World Cup: “It’s crazy”
he ran: Did you watch the World Cup? What do you think of the German national team?
Marion:I believe everyone has the same opportunities to achieve something special. Any team that has at least five or six NBA players in its ranks usually has a chance to win the gold medal. This is because the sport is now much bigger than it was before. Germany, France and Canada had at least five or six players in the NBA. When the Dream Team came along, there were probably a few European NBA players. There are now a large number of players in the NBA from Europe. This is madness.
he ran: Maxi Kleber is an important player for the Dallas Mavericks. What can you say about him?
Marion: I’ve watched him grow. I think he will make a breakthrough this year. He had a great last year. But I think he can reach a new level again this year. I think he has the opportunity to play a big role in this team this season. I last saw him dribbling in training. He’s never done that before. This should be the next step in his game. He has to look for opportunities to move to the basket, create contact and then make the basket. Or to put his colleagues in the spotlight.
Marion: “Schroder will fit in well with the Raptors”
he ran: What can you tell us about other German Basketball League players, for example Dennis Schröder?
Marion: Schroder is a player with special talent and will now go to Toronto. He’s a smart, fast guy. He was already that way when he got to the NBA. He just knows how to get to the basket and score points. He does it very well. I think he’ll fit in well with the Raptors.
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