Dirk Nowitzki scored 19 points on Sunday in the Dallas Mavericks' 107-89 win against the New Orleans Hornets and he joined Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett as the only active members of the 25,000 point club.
Most if not all mainstream media accounts of this accomplishment will state that only 17 players have scored at least 25,000 points, neglecting to mention that Julius Erving, Dan Issel, George Gervin and Rick Barry surpassed that total if their ABA statistics are included-- and it is an inexplicable travesty that the NBA and its media partners stubbornly refuse to acknowledge that ABA Numbers Should Also Count.
Nowitzki already had accumulated more than 9000 career rebounds--an impressive total for anyone but a particularly impressive total for a jump shooter who seemed averse to physical contact when he first entered the league--and now he is one of just 11 players who racked up at least 25,000 points and at least 9000 rebounds; Erving and Issel are not officially acknowledged by the NBA as members of that club.
Congratulations to Dirk Nowitzki and shame on the NBA for throwing ABA statistics down an Orwellian memory hole.
Dirk Nowitzki Becomes Just the Third Active Member of the Exclusive 25,000 Point Club
