Dirk Nowitzki is the 17th best player of all time, according to CBS Sports

Who doesn’t love a good all-time ranking? The crew over at CBS Sports took a stab at ranking the 50 greatest players in NBA history, and everyone’s favorite 7-foot German checked in at 17.

Here’s what they had to say:

The Greatest European NBA Player Of All Time. Nowitzki’s influence on the game is starting to be felt more and more, as tall forwards like Kevin Durant show how a 3-point shooting big man can alter spacing in ways no one could have imagined 20 years ago. A gentle soul with a competitive fire, Nowitzki’s MVP season in 2007 will stand up to any in history, and his 2011 Finals MVP performance should probably go in the top 10. Nowitzki’s durability and consistency only add to his 12-time All-NBA status.

“A gentle soul with a competitive fire” is one of the most beautiful phrases I’ve seen used to describe Dirk, and couldn’t be more perfect. Thanks for that, CBS.

However, I think we can all agree that Dirk is entirely too low on this list. Personally, I think it’s unconscionable that he isn’t ranked number 1. He is the GOAT, after all. But I guess we’ll just have to accept that non-Mavs fans can’t handle this truth, and hell, 17th all time is still quite respectable.

Feel free to discuss in the comments. Anyone ahead of Dirk you think should get out of his way?