In an illuminating interview with Grantland.com, Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitski revealed that Nets guard Deron Williams travels with a cumbersomely large posse and that Nowitzki is actively avoiding the TV show "Shark Tank" on which Mavs owner Mark Cuban is a "shark."
Nowitzki actively recruited Williams to sign with the Mavericks last offseason after the two met a couple of years ago at an NBA All-Star party.
"Deron and I have actually known each other for a little bit," Nowitzki told Grantland. "We met at an All-Star Game a couple of years ago. I was out partying one night, and here he comes into the club with a whole crew of guys.
"It was a Nike party in LA two years ago, and so he comes with his crew, and there's no room in the entire thing. We had a little room, and so his whole crew starts talking to us and shoves their way into our table. We had an awesome night that night. We had a blast. Kanye West was onstage — Kanyeezy!"
The Mavericks pursued Williams in the offseason, but the point guard decided to sign with the New Jersey Nets instead of Dallas.
Shortly after the Williams came to terms with the Nets, news broke that Cuban was not in New Jersey to try and sign Williams on the opening day of free agency, instead sending a contingent from the Mavs front office in his place.
Where was Cuban?
In Los Angeles filming the current season of ABC's "Shark Tank."
Williams later said that Cuban choosing to film the show over trying to sign him played a part in his decision to sign with the Nets. This fact is still not lost on Nowitzki, who doesn't seem happy that the TV show kept him from having an All-Star point guard to play next to.
"I still don't," Nowitzki said when asked if he watches Cuban's show. "I still refuse to watch it. I haven't seen one episode and I probably won't ever see one."
