Dirk Nowitzki praised his new teammate Andrew Bogut on his intelligence, passing, and screen-setting abilities. From Earl K. Sneed of NBA.com:
“I mean, he’s got to be one of the top passers at the big-man spot that this league has,” Nowitzki said while praising Bogut’s abilities. “He’s smart, he’s patient with it, and he fits it in between defenders. It’s fun to play with him, and that’s a guy who wants to share the ball and wants to make his teammates better on both ends of the floor. And he’s been fun to play with, so hopefully we’re better with him as a group. But I really like what he brings on both ends. I mean, like I said, he’s a great and really smart defender, a rim protector, and on offense he can share the ball. He sets unbelievable screens. I mean, playing with him for the last two weeks, it’s no wonder Steph was always open. I mean, he’s so smart that he just picks the right angles and the right spots to set guys great screens, so he’s one of the smartest players I’ve ever played with.”
That’s some great praise, especially coming from a player like Nowitzki who truly knows the game, and is a highly intelligent player himself.
It’s a little bit funny to hear somebody praise Bogut’s screens. When you’re on his team, those screens are “unbelievable.” When you’re om the receiving end, they’re “illegal.“
