Usually, when I take to writing about the myriad of crossovers between hip hop and the NBA, it's to discuss a player's ill-fated attempt to drop a track or an album. Though, I still think Shawn Marion's "I'm a Champion" featuring T-Pain is a banger. Other times, it's to talk about rappers referencing players in their lyrics. Lil B, Meek Mill, and Migos have all celebrated Dirk Nowitzki in one way or another in their songs. Now, while it's widely known athletes incorporate elements of hip hop into their celebrations, the recent trend of dabbing comes to mind, it's rare to get a glimpse of them just cutting lose to their favorite songs. It's even rarer still to catch someone like Nowitzki doing so. Luckily, we have footage of just that.
For anyone who follows basketball closely, Dirk's casual nature and sense of humor are just as defining as his one-legged fade away. He's always having a good time. That's evidenced here as Dirk gets down to O.T. Genasis' "Coco." It would probably be unfair to call O.T. Genasis a one-hit wonder but "Coco" is by far his most popular track. There's really only so much material you can produce when your subject matter is strictly limited to cocaine and its distribution.
But anyway, back to Dirk. He's shown us his dancing prowess before but that was always for a staged promotional video by the Mavericks. Here, he pops a ubiquitous rap pose and walk: slouched, one shoulder dipped low with a hand at his crotch. If he was wearing a Hennessy jersey he'd fit in with Prodigy and Havoc in an early Mobb Deep video. Dennis Schroder is clearly taken by his moves as he ever so slightly joins Dirk as the track plays. Who knew the German national basketball team was so street?
Dirk's moves are never going to land him on Dancing with the Stars. But his appreciation of dance and hip hop have certainly landed him a place in our hearts. Keep doing you, Dirk.
h/t Jason Gallagher for the find