Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk Nowitzki is the most revolutionary international player in NBA history and the man who proved that a seven-footer could play like a guard. His one-legged fadeaway — a shot so unique and so unblockable that it has no defensive counter — changed how the world thinks about what a big man can do offensively. He is the sixth-leading scorer in NBA history with 31,560 points, all scored for one franchise across 21 seasons of loyalty.

The 2011 championship run is Dirk's masterpiece and one of the greatest individual playoff performances in NBA history. He led the Mavericks through the Trail Blazers, swept the defending champion Lakers, defeated the young Thunder, and then took down LeBron's Heat in six games. Dirk averaged 27.7 points in the Finals on absurd efficiency, hitting shots that defied probability in the biggest moments. It was the ultimate validation for a player who had been doubted as too soft, too European, too one-dimensional to lead a championship team.

Dirk's loyalty to Dallas — turning down larger offers from other teams throughout his career — makes his championship even more meaningful. He could have ring-chased. He could have joined a super team. Instead, he stayed and built something, and when the title finally came, it belonged entirely to Dirk and the city he chose.