Dirk Nowitzki didn't play Monday due to a sore Achilles, so he got to sit back and observe his heir apparent in Kristaps Porzingis.
Nowitzki came away thoroughly impressed by Porzingis' 24-point, 11-rebound performance in the New York Knicks' victory over the Dallas Mavericks.
"He's not only a 7-footer but he is like 7-4 out there with an 8-5 wingspan, (Porzingis actually has a 7-foot-6 wingspan, but the point remains)," Nowitzki told ESPN's Ian Begley.
"He's got an incredible touch. He can move. He can dribble. He can put it on the floor more now. He is going to be a great player in this league for a long, long time."
Not only did Porzingis dominate a decimated Mavericks side, the sophisticated sophomore also dared to bust out Nowitzki's signature one-legged fadeaway before staring daggers at the originator.
Watch: Porzingis nails step-back fadeaway, stares down Dirk
"He was staring me down. That was cold-blooded," Nowitzki said.
"I am a huge fan of his game. Obviously the sky is the limit for him," he added. "He's got the deep ball. He's got the in-between game. He is working on his post-ups. He is the real deal."
