Dwyane Wade recalls beef with Dirk Nowitzki during NBA All-Star Game
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Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade and Dallas Mavericks icon Dirk Nowitzki shared an intense rivalry, most notably in the 2006 and 2011 NBA Finals. Their competitive edge, however, wasn't confined to those title matchups—it even spilled over into exhibition games like the All-Star Weekend.
In a clip from his show The Why, posted on Instagram on Wednesday, Wade shared that his rivalry with Nowitzki took root after their first Finals encounter in 2006. The Miami Heat triumphed over the Dallas Mavericks in six games, with Wade securing Finals MVP honors.
"In 2006, we won a championship," the former Heat star said. "Me and Dirk started having some words, right? And the 2007, 2008, so forth, so on, Dirk and I see each other All-Star Weekend. We don’t even dap up. You know All-Stars, you go out there and at least dap up."
While Wade claimed the 2006 championship, Nowitzki got his redemption in 2011, guiding the Mavericks to a title win over Wade's Heat—even with LeBron James and Chris Bosh by his side.
The Dwyane Wade-Dirk Nowitzki beef
Wade revealed that the intense trash talk during their Finals battles led to real animosity that persisted for years. Luckily, the All-Star format back then kept them on opposing sides, with the East facing the West, sparing them from having to share the same team—unlike today’s draft-style setup.
"Me and Dirk wouldn’t even look at each other. We had beef in the All-Star Game, bro."
The 43-year-old pointed out the irony that while All-Star Weekend was designed to foster camaraderie among players, his dynamic with Nowitzki told a different story.
"And so we see each other All-Star Weekend when everything’s supposed to be, 'We all fans of each other'; Me and Dirk was like, 'Nah, I don't f**k with you.' For some years, that’s how our All-Star Games went. And that’s just how the game was at that time," he said.
The NBA All-Star Game losing its competitive edge
In contrast, recent NBA All-Star Games have drawn criticism for their perceived lack of intensity, with many regretting the shift away from the fiercely competitive battles of the past.
Wade attributed the intense competition during his era to the impact of Kobe Bryant.
“The stars of the game was the ones who determined how the game went. Kobe Bryant brought it every All-Star. So me, as a young guy, I have to guard Kobe, he at my a**. I gotta lock up. It was different, because of the stars in the league," Wade remarked.
This year’s All-Star Game received widespread backlkash, with many citing the frequent media interruptions and the race-to-40 format, which reduced playing time for several players.
“I’m not saying LeBron at 40 should be the one, but what I’m saying is when we came in, the stars determined how the game’s gonna go. I’m just following suit. When I came in, Kobe set the tone for the All-Star games, Kobe would go out there ready to bust your ass," Wade continued.
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