Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, and Jason Kidd. I must admit watching those three celebrate an NBA championship together brought a few tears to my eyes. Over the course of the past several years, those three have shown what a team sport is all about.
Dirk Nowitzki had a chance to leave the Mavs last summer as an unrestricted free agent, at a time when everyone else was jumping ship, setting up dream teams, and demanding trades. Instead, he re-signed with Dallas. There was no guarantee they would go get another star to play with him. He just re-signed for less than the maximum, and Dallas didn't even land a second superstar. But Dirk went forward after first round exits in 3 of 4 years, believing that he could get it done in Dallas. How much bigger is his legacy because he stayed loyal, and he did it "alone?" Dirk and a bunch of role players just won an NBA Title with commitment to tough team defense and dynamic team offense.
Jason Terry got relegated to 6th man after the 2006-2007 season. He had been a starter his whole career (and somewhat of a star dating all the way back to his 1997 NCAA Basketball title with the Arizona Wildcats). He could start for at least 26 teams in the league right now. He didn't demand a trade or whine or complain and run his career into the ground in the process. Instead, he became an even more effective team leader. He found ways to unite when most others in the game today would divide. It takes a special talent to make the clutch plays that Terry did in the NBA Finals. It takes a special character to accept a secondary role and inspire his team to greatness still.
Jason Kidd has been trade bait many times during his 17-year career. He has never complained, he has just gone about his business. He plays with class, works hard, and understands the game of basketball. Everywhere he has gone, he made those teams better. I have a tremendous amount of respect for Jason Kidd (and Chauncey Billups who has a similar impact on his teams everywhere he goes). I wish he could have more titles, but I'm afraid he and the other 2 have experienced their one and only NBA Championship: it's just so tough to repeat relying on a bunch of aging veterans coming out of the West (see the 2011 San Antonio Spurs).
I felt like the Big 3 for Dallas exemplify team basketball and I couldn't be happier for all of them in getting their first NBA Titles. Shawn Marion on the other hand...I still can't forget his "I'd rather go be a star on a bad team than be a role player for a Title contender" comment he made while in Phoenix. Oh well, at least he's not Lebron James.
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