Shaquille O’Neal calls himself “Dark Nowitzki” as Lakers legend stuns in pickup basketball in Germany

NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal gave himself a new nickname while playing pickup basketball in Germany. O’Neal called himself “Dark Nowitzki” as he showcased his vision and passing with a group of locals. The four-time NBA champion was in Germany as part of his gig as DJ Diesel.

In an Instagram post, O’Neal shared a reel of him playing five-on-five basketball with some guys in Germany. He called himself “Dark Nowitzki,” an ode to the country’s greatest player ever, Dirk Nowitzki. The big fella was with content creator Marcus Crawford for the trip.

“Dark Nowitzki is taking over Germany pay me what I’m worth lol @bawsemanmc out there lookin like Kyrie,” Shaq wrote.

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Shaquille O'Neal and Dirk Nowitzki had a few battles during their NBA careers, mainly at the 2006 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks. Shaq and the Heat came back from being down 0-2, winning four straight to win Miami's first-ever title.

Nowitzki would later get his revenge on the Heat minus O'Neal in 2011, beating the LeBron James-led Miami team to win his only NBA championship. The two legends would later appear in Shaq's podcast to discuss their careers and personal lives.

As for those wondering why the LA Lakers icon was in Germany, he was scheduled to perform at the Bootshaus in Cologne as part of Shaq's Bass All-Stars tour on Saturday. One of his side gigs during the NBA offseason is being DJ Diesel and rocking the party floor.

After Germany, DJ Diesel is set to play in Spain and Turkey before returning to the United States for nine more dates from Aug. 8 to Oct. 3. Shaq and the "Inside the NBA" crew are set to come back for another season, but this time they will be on ESPN, not on TNT.

Shaquille O'Neal wanted to play with Dirk Nowitzki in Dallas

During Dirk Nowitzki's appearance on "The Big Podcast with Shaq," Shaquille O'Neal revealed that he wanted to play with the German star during his career. O'Neal explained that he called Mark Cuban to make it happen when he requested a trade in 2004.

"I called Mark, and I said, 'Mark, whatever you got to do to get me there,'" O'Neal said, according to Sports Illustrated. "And he's like, 'The Lakers won't do it,' and I was like, 'Make 'em do it, Mark.' They wouldn't do it, but that would've been nice because I love Dallas. As you know, I have two houses here."

The Lakers traded Shaq to Miami, helping the Heat win a title against Nowitzki's Mavericks in 2006.

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About the author

Juan Paolo David

Juan Paolo is a journalist for Sportskeeda who covers the NBA and WNBA. He's been writing about basketball since 2015 and has been with Sportskeeda since 2021.

Juan's allegiance lies with the Golden State Warriors and his journey with the Warriors began with their memorable victory over the Lakers in 2000, and he experienced the successes of the 'We Believe' era and the rise of Steph Curry. 

What Juan loves most about basketball is its ability to evoke a range of emotions, from adrenaline-fueled excitement to the highs of victory and the lows of defeat. To ensure complete accuracy in articles, he conducts thorough research before writing his articles.

The Warriors' victories in the 2022 and 2017 championships hold a special place in Juan's memories, as well as iconic moments like Baron Davis' dunk over Andrei Kirilenko and Goran Dragic's performance in the 2010 Western Conference semifinals.

Off the court, Juan enjoys watching football, TV and movies, caring for his numerous cats, and cooking whenever time permits.

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