Horry revealed who he prefers over Dirk as the best German player of all time: 'I'm always old school'

It's safe to say that when people consider the greatest basketball player Germany has ever produced, Dirk Nowitzki often comes to mind first. Interestingly, Robert Horry doesn't share that view.

In an interview with German media in April 2014, the former seven-time NBA champion shared his thoughts on this topic. However, instead of choosing the Dallas Mavericks legend, he highlighted another player from the same country whom he preferred.

"I have to admit that Dirk isn't my favorite player from Germany. Detlef Schrempf was my favorite player…Dirk is a strong player with an outstanding skill set. But I'm always old school, and I love Detlef Schrempf," remarked Horry, per Spox.

"Dirty" is the greatest German player ever

"Big Shot Rob's" statement probably caught a lot of people off guard. This is because Nowitzki had an outstanding basketball career, recognized not just as the best German player by far but also as one of the greatest from Europe.

"Dirty" earned his reputation after being selected ninth overall in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and quickly traded to the Mavericks. Despite early challenges in his 21-year career, the future Hall of Famer proved himself, earning his first All-Star nod in 2002.

In the following year, Nowitzki excelled as a dominant seven-foot stretch power forward, winning the MVP award in 2007 with a remarkable 50-40-90 season. While that year is often viewed as his best individually, the pinnacle of the team's success came during the 2011 playoffs.

Leading an underdog Mavericks team, the now 46-year-old guided the franchise to its first and only championship title, earning Finals MVP honors.

Why Schrempf over Nowitzki?

Horry's choice of Schrempf, who played in the league for 17 years, wasn't a slight against Nowitzki. Rather, it stemmed more from his connection with him.

As Rob pointed out, Detlef was "the first good German player" he got to know. Horry added that they faced each other many times on the court during their NBA careers, creating memorable moments.

"We had some unbelievable matchups when he was with the Seattle SuperSonics," recalled "Big Shot Rob."

The Maryland native emphasized that these competitions were more than just games; they were valuable learning experiences for him.

"There was so much to learn from those matchups with Detlef. I picked up so much from him," he added.

Overall, it's pretty clear that Nowitzki was the better player, which Schrempf would likely agree with. However, selecting the latter indeed made sense from an "old school" perspective, which shaped Horry's response.

That said, "The Grand Teuton" was a fantastic player in his own right. After being drafted in 1985, he won two 6MOY awards, was a three-time All-Star, and played a crucial role in the Sonics' success during the mid-90s with his impressive outside shooting.