'That was my welcome to the NBA moment real quick' - Josh Howard on the headaches Dirk and Nash gave him in practice

The Dallas Mavericks began their ascent in the Western Conference when billionaire Mark Cuban purchased the team in 2000. While Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash played significant roles in elevating the Mavs to contender status in the West, another player was essential to their success: Josh Howard.

Drafted out of Wake Forest University in 2003, Howard quickly made a name for himself with his versatility and tenacity on both ends of the court. However, he faced a steep learning curve as a rookie playing alongside established veterans like Nowitzki and Nash. Speaking to Darius Miles and Quentin Richardson on the “Knuckleheads” podcast, the 6’7” wingman discussed his experiences trying to defend the two Mavericks superstars in practice.

Dirk kept it simple

Josh was a do-it-all forward, but his forte was on the defensive end of the floor. Quick on his feet and relentless in his pursuit of the ball, Howard was a nightmare for opposing players. But when it came to guarding Nowitzki in practice, he quickly realized that the German marksman was a different specimen.

The former league MVP was a no-frills player who stuck to the basics in his offensive game: face-up, jab step, fadeaway, bucket. Time and time again, Dirk executed this simple but deadly move, leaving Howard scratching his head.

“I had a healthy dose on that right and left elbow. No dribbles either—just straight jab me off, pull-up. So it was a nice introduction,” Josh shared.

Meanwhile, Howard played with Nash for only one season, but the lessons he learned from the crafty Canadian would not be easily forgotten.

“Nash was a tough guard, and you know he was getting ready to become an MVP,” he stated. “So for me, having to deal with them two guys right out of college, yeah, that was a ‘Welcome to the NBA’ moment real quick.”

Chasing shooters off those screens was a chore

Asked about which players outside of the Mavs gave him fits, Howard quickly mentioned sharpshooters like Rip Hamilton, Ray Allen, and Rashard Lewis. The native of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, said it was such a chore having to run after these snipers and navigate through all the screens their teams set for them.

“I would say consciously thinking—when I had to chase Rip Hamilton all over the court off those pin-downs and those down screens. And when we used to have to always go out to Seattle and play against Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis,” Howard asserted. “Listen, that’s when the NBA, I would say, was more like pin-downs, back screens—you had to chase a guy, and it was harder. Harder to keep up.”

As tough as opposing guards made it for Josh to keep up with them, the former Wake Forest ace held his own and established a reputation for being a dependable defender in his ten-year NBA career.