Fresh from his stunning performance at the ESPYs and even more stunning NBA Championship run, Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki is now the most marketable player in the NBA.
Yes, marktfähiger as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony and all these other self-promoter, twice which as NBA star.
Them according to the latest Nielsen/E poll. Dirk landed a score of 132, well above Kobe 83 second place and third place Steve Nash of 68. LeBron and Wade dropped from 131 and 117 in the last poll 26 to 34, respectively.
Pau Gasol has more out there, how bad it got in the LeBron, marketing division, which according to, that he wants a worldwide brand for everyone who will hear it announced a higher score than the King. Ouch.
Dirk could take his NBA title and the fact that he the first Hoopster, the ESPY for top male to win athlete since Jordan in 1993, and cash in as has Jordan. And as Kobe, Magic Johnson, and most of the others were, that the NBA Finals MVP.
But Dirk want no part of this side of the business. He doesn't even have an agent as he negotiated his own contracts. How rare is that? I bet that you can count the number of celebrity athletes who have agents on the one hand.
Dirk wrote in a recent letter to Bloomberg, "I was always a basketball player going to be." Nothing more. No less. I have not endorsed never really me to "Brand" as safe, there are a few things that I would, however, and perhaps one day it will work out. "At the moment, I'm happy with where I am."
It is this attitude which makes but not so popular with media analysts who do not understand, such humility it for ESPYs and Nielsen/E-poll popular among the fans, the voices, and cynically guess it's an act. But I don't think it is an act with Dirk.
Last summer, before the season began, sent to eight or so athletes he liked my 11-year-old son SASEs, letters and photos, ask for autographs. The only ones were Dirk former Dallas cowboy Preston Pearson, and return the photos with their signatures.
Burning question: Where Dirk rank in the NBA all-time top 20?
It is now also someone with as much popularity as former cowboy Troy Aikman rental furniture in commercials hawking. I wince every time I do that see idiotic commercials with Hulk Hogan Troy.
You must not money so badly, Troy. Get a clue from the NBA player who does not want to be the most marketable.
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By Kevin Shay, bleacher report contributor
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