The New York Knicks have been steadily building something special over the last few seasons. A process that began with the arrival of Jalen Brunson to the locker room has gradually seen them emerge as a legitimate powerhouse in the Eastern Conference. And that has shown in the results as well.
From bowing out in the first round to making the Conference Finals, they have steadily improved over the last three seasons, with cautious moves catered to improving the roster. But they have also gotten some help from legends of the sport, like Dirk Nowitzki, whose advice has transformed one of their key starters.
Dirk Nowitzki Remains a Shooting Wizard
Before others started making a claim themselves, it was nearly unanimous that the German sharpshooter was the best big man shooter of all time. His array of footwork, jump shooting, and ability to extend beyond the 3-point line made him a unique anomaly.
Even after retirement, that magic remains with him. Only, he’s now using it to help others become lethal knockdown shooters. The latest to benefit from his advice was OG Anunoby of the Knicks.
One of the key pieces surrounding Brunson in the years since his arrival, the former Toronto Raptors forward offers a unique combination of high-IQ plays, consistent playmaking, a respectable shooting stroke, and lockdown DPOY-caliber defense.
As a result, he is the perfect piece for any team to have in its lineup, particularly one centered around Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. The Knicks clearly recognized his value, as they gave him a five-year, $212,500,000 contract in 2024.
However, the one concerning element with the star forward was the declining success from long distance. Dropping all the way to 37.2% last season, he was still a dependable hand, but nowhere near a guarantee.
That’s where the former MVP and NBA Champion stepped in. “He wanted to know more about shooting, so last year he reached out to me,” he said during the game broadcast as he was part of the announcing crew.
Explaining the process, he continued, “He wanted to know every little detail about feet, positioning of hands, breathing, where eyes go. He asked me all sorts of questions.” While Nowitzki clearly helped him a ton (Anunoby is shooting a career-high 40.8% on 6.1 attempts per game), there was one thing he emphasized in particular.
“One main thing that I told him about is finger position on the ball.” Explaining his own mechanics, he added, “When I shot the ball, I liked to spread my fingers as wide as possible, and I wanted the pointer and the middle finger were the last to touch the ball.”
Equating it to a “train track,” he believed it gave the ball steadiness and allowed consistency for the shooter to always have accurate aim. The advice has helped the Knicks star in his quest to become a bigger threat from the perimeter.
That has allowed the team to register their first NBA Cup Championship. Now the hope has to be that he can carry that momentum forward and potentially take another step forward in their quest for an NBA Championship.
