Charles Barkley vs Dirk Nowitzki...Who Was The Better Player?

[Round Mound]

[Dr Hawk]

Dirk. Not a liability on defense

[winwin]

Barkley and not even close

[dhsilv]

player and peak? Barkley and yeah not close. Career goes to Dirk and better player if we take into account years of play? Still going with sir charles but it's closer.

[Rocketswin2013]

The guy who didn't underachieve with good rosters most of his career.

[Fire Colangelo]

Peak for peak probably Barkley. But taken in account of their careers? Dirk.

But for questions like these, I always ask myself: "who would I draft if I were to start a franchise?"

The answer is Dirk.

[tontoz]

Hard to imagine two guys playing the same position being more different.

People who didn't see him wouldn't believe what a dominant post scorer Barkley was. When MJ played on the Olympic team he said Barkley was the best player there and Jordan didn't give compliments to competitors often. Barkley was completely unguardable 1 on 1 in the post. Explosive athlete even though he was frequently fat and out of shape.

He wasn't a hard worker, was a defensive liability and didn't age that well.

Dirk is arguably the best jump shooting big man ever. With no quickness to speak of he had to shoot with guys right in his face most of the time and still made them. His ability to shoot really opened up the floor for his teammates. Certainly the best stretch 4 ever and was huge in the playoffs as well. Great longevity.

I like both guys. Hard to choose between them.

[Round Mound]

Dirk. Not a liability on defense

When Chuck had a decent defensive center in Moses (unlike Malone who had Eaton and Duncan who had Robinson) he was 7th in Defensive Rating. Chuck was a lazy defnder but he was quite good a defender when he wanted to be. Dirk isn`t a great defender either. He is a great shooter, thats about the only thing he has over Chuck.

[LoneyROY7]

Dirk.

[Round Mound]

Dirk is a better far range shooter and FT shooter thats about it.

Dirk could only dream of being a better post player, inside scorer, rebounder, passer, ballhander, stealer flood defender and even shot blocker as Sixers Barkley was.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-uuEvACs7v4

[Milbuck]

Dirk is 6th all time in scoring, is an MVP, 13 time all-star, carried the Mavs to 50+ wins for 11 straight years, and beat Kobe, Durant, and Lebron in a dominant championship run as the sole star on his team...but yeah, he's "not even close" to Barkley.

[Round Mound]

Dirk is 6th all time in scoring, is an MVP, 13 time all-star, carried the Mavs to 50+ wins for 11 straight years, and beat Kobe, Durant, and Lebron in a dominant championship run as the sole all-star on his team...but yeah, he's "not even close" to Barkley.

Scoring wise he is close to Barkley but nothing else much after that

[DMAVS41]

Very close, but I think Dirk.

Dirk played smarter imo and was better on defense. Dirk also cared more...he was a better teammate and made life easier on a coach...not harder.

Very very very close though...could go either way.

[DMAVS41]

Scoring wise he is close to Barkley but nothing else much after that

Flawed way to look at it, but also just false.

Dirk was a better teammate, better defender, and trumps Barkley in off ball impact.

[Black and White]

Personally I would take Dirk, but I have no problem with someone picking Charles, this is a good debate to have.