Dirk Nowitzki gets mistaken for Rik Smits

In a lighthearted moment, Dallas Mavericks icon Dirk Nowitzki shared an amusing encounter where he was mistaken for former Indiana Pacers player Rik Smits, known for his tenure from 1988 to 2000.

Nowitzki took to X to recount the incident, stating, “Walked into a restaurant yesterday, and a guy comes up and says: ‘Aren’t you Rik Smits?’ Not quite, but I appreciated his hoops knowledge.”

The mix-up between Nowitzki, a German basketball legend, and Smits, who holds a special place in Netherlands basketball, adds a humorous twist to the storied careers of these two respected figures.