Markelle Fultz vs. Dirk Nowitzki Season by Season Comparison

Side by side comparison of each NBA season of Dirk Nowitzki and Markelle Fultz, from their rookie seasons to their last year played, in chronological order with awards, stats, championships and playoff performance of their teams every year.

Player comparisons:
Career comparison / Season by season / Games against each other

Who had the better rookie season? Who had best stats in their 10th season? Who won a championship first? These questions and many others, are answered here.

Markelle Fultz played 8 years in the NBA, 13 less than Dirk Nowitzki, who played 21. Markelle Fultz had the first of his seasons in 2017-18, while Dirk Nowitzki had his rookie season in 1998-99. With that starting point, here you can take a look at each of their seasons side by side and compare how their careers evolved in achievements, awards and championships won, the stats they recorded both in the Regular Season and the Playoffs and how their teams performed in the postseason.

Their Careers

Player
Total Seasons Playoffs Played NBA Years
Markelle Fultz 8 3 2017-18 to 2024-25
Dirk Nowitzki 21 15 1998-99 to 2018-19

Comparison Season by Season

Jump to season:

1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8

Rookie Season

Markelle Fultz Dirk Nowitzki
Season 2017-181998-99
Team Philadelphia 76ersDallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs 76ers Lost East Conf SemisDid not play
more >>
Rookie Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Markelle Fultz 14 18.1 7.1 0.8 2.3 3.1 3.8 0.9 0.3 1.2 1.6 3.2 7.9 .405 0.0 0.1 .000 0.7 1.5 .476
difference:+33+2.3+1.1+0.1+0.3+0.3+2.8+0.3+0.3-0.4-0.6+0.3+0.8+0.3+1.3+.206+1.4+1.2+.297
Dirk Nowitzki 47 20.4 8.2 0.9 2.6 3.4 1.0 0.6 0.6 1.6 2.2 2.9 7.1 .405 0.3 1.4 .206 2.1 2.7 .773
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Markelle Fultz 3 7.7 1.7 0.0 1.0 1.0 1.7 0.7 0.0 0.3 1.3 0.3 2.3 .143 0.0 0.0 - 1.0 1.3 .750
Dirk Nowitzki DNP------ --- ----------

Season 2

Markelle Fultz Dirk Nowitzki
Season 2018-191999-00
Team Philadelphia 76ersDallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards
Playoffs Did not playDid not play
more >>
2nd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Markelle Fultz 19 22.5 8.2 1.4 2.3 3.7 3.1 0.9 0.3 1.3 2.7 3.4 8.2 .419 0.2 0.7 .286 1.1 1.9 .568
difference:+63+13.3+9.3+0.2+2.9+2.8+0.6+0.1+0.5-0.4-0.4+2.9+5.4+.042+1.2+3.0+.093+2.4+2.3+.262
Dirk Nowitzki 82 35.8 17.5 1.2 5.2 6.5 2.5 0.8 0.8 1.7 3.1 6.3 13.6 .461 1.4 3.7 .379 3.5 4.2 .830
Playoffs Stats
* Neiher Markelle Fultz nor Dirk Nowitzki played in the postseason in their season 2

Season 3

Markelle Fultz Dirk Nowitzki
Season 2019-202000-01
Team Orlando MagicDallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
Playoffs Magic Lost East Conf 1st RdMavericks Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
3rd Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Markelle Fultz 72 27.7 12.1 0.6 2.7 3.3 5.1 1.3 0.2 2.0 2.0 5.0 10.7 .465 0.5 1.9 .267 1.6 2.2 .730
difference:+10+10.4+9.7+0.9+5.0+5.9+3.0+0.3+1.0-0.1-1.0+2.2+4.5+.009+1.3+2.9+.120+3.9+4.4+.108
Dirk Nowitzki 82 38.1 21.8 1.5 7.7 9.2 2.1 1.0 1.2 1.9 3.0 7.2 15.2 .474 1.8 4.8 .387 5.5 6.6 .838
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Markelle Fultz 5 29.4 12.0 0.0 2.2 2.2 5.2 1.0 0.6 2.6 4.0 4.8 12.0 .400 1.2 3.2 .375 1.2 1.4 .857
difference:+5+10.5+11.4+1.4+4.5+5.9+3.8+0.1+0.2-1.2-0.3+2.1+4.3+.023+0.1+1.4+.092+7.1+8.0+.026
Dirk Nowitzki 10 39.9 23.4 1.4 6.7 8.1 1.4 1.1 0.8 1.4 3.7 6.9 16.3 .423 1.3 4.6 .283 8.3 9.4 .883

Season 4

Markelle Fultz Dirk Nowitzki
Season 2020-212001-02
Team Orlando MagicDallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did not playMavericks Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
4th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Markelle Fultz 8 26.9 12.9 0.6 2.5 3.1 5.4 1.0 0.3 2.3 2.3 5.1 13.0 .394 0.5 2.0 .250 2.1 2.4 .895
difference:+68+11.1+10.5+1.0+5.9+6.8+3.0+0.1+0.7-0.4-0.6+2.8+3.6+.083+1.3+2.6+.147+3.7+4.4+.042
Dirk Nowitzki 76 38.0 23.4 1.6 8.4 9.9 2.4 1.1 1.0 1.9 2.9 7.9 16.6 .477 1.8 4.6 .397 5.8 6.8 .853
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Markelle Fultz DNP------ --- ----------
Dirk Nowitzki 8 44.6 28.4 2.1 11.0 13.1 2.3 2.0 0.8 2.8 3.4 9.1 20.5 .445 2.0 3.5 .571 8.1 9.3 .878

Season 5

Markelle Fultz Dirk Nowitzki
Season 2021-222002-03
Team Orlando MagicDallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Second Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did not playMavericks Lost West Conf Finals
more >>
5th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Markelle Fultz 18 20.0 10.8 0.2 2.5 2.7 5.5 1.1 0.3 2.2 1.2 4.6 9.7 .474 0.2 0.9 .235 1.4 1.7 .806
difference:+62+19.0+14.3+0.8+6.4+7.2+2.5+0.3+0.7-0.3-1.4+4.0+8.9+.011+1.7+4.0+.144+4.6+5.2+.075
Dirk Nowitzki 80 39.0 25.1 1.0 8.9 9.9 3.0 1.4 1.0 1.9 2.6 8.6 18.6 .463 1.9 4.9 .379 6.0 6.9 .881
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Markelle Fultz DNP------ --- ----------
Dirk Nowitzki 17 42.5 25.3 0.9 10.6 11.5 2.2 1.2 0.9 2.4 3.1 8.8 18.4 .479 1.6 3.6 .443 6.1 6.6 .912

Season 6

Markelle Fultz Dirk Nowitzki
Season 2022-232003-04
Team Orlando MagicDallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA Third Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did not playMavericks Lost West Conf 1st Rd
more >>
6th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Markelle Fultz 60 29.6 14.0 1.2 2.8 3.9 5.7 1.5 0.4 2.3 2.2 5.8 11.3 .514 0.5 1.5 .310 1.9 2.4 .783
difference:+17+8.3+7.8+4.7+4.8+3.0+0.3+1.0-0.5-0.6+2.1+5.7+.052+0.8+2.3+.031+2.9+3.1+.094
Dirk Nowitzki 77 37.9 21.8 1.2 7.5 8.7 2.7 1.2 1.4 1.8 2.8 7.9 17.0 .462 1.3 3.8 .341 4.8 5.5 .877
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Markelle Fultz DNP------ --- ----------
Dirk Nowitzki 5 42.2 26.6 2.6 9.2 11.8 1.4 1.4 2.6 1.2 3.2 9.0 20.0 .450 1.4 3.0 .467 7.2 8.4 .857

Season 7

Markelle Fultz Dirk Nowitzki
Season 2023-242004-05
Team Orlando MagicDallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Magic Lost East Conf 1st RdMavericks Lost West Conf Semis
more >>
7th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Markelle Fultz 43 21.2 7.8 1.3 1.9 3.2 2.8 1.0 0.3 1.2 1.5 3.6 7.6 .472 0.1 0.4 .222 0.5 0.8 .697
difference:+35+17.5+18.3+0.1+6.6+6.5+0.3+0.2+1.2-1.1-1.3+4.9+10.9+.013+1.1+2.5+.177+7.4+8.3+.172
Dirk Nowitzki 78 38.7 26.1 1.2 8.5 9.7 3.1 1.2 1.5 2.3 2.8 8.5 18.5 .459 1.2 2.9 .399 7.9 9.1 .869
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Markelle Fultz 7 15.1 6.4 1.0 1.0 2.0 1.1 0.4 0.0 1.1 1.7 2.9 4.9 .588 0.0 0.1 .000 0.7 1.3 .556
difference:+6+27.4+17.3+0.9+7.2+8.1+2.2+1.0+1.6-1.4-1.5+5.0+14.8+.186+0.8+2.2+.333+6.4+7.2+.273
Dirk Nowitzki 13 42.5 23.7 1.9 8.2 10.1 3.3 1.4 1.6 2.5 3.2 7.9 19.7 .402 0.8 2.3 .333 7.1 8.5 .829

Season 8

Markelle Fultz Dirk Nowitzki
Season 2024-252005-06
Team Sacramento KingsDallas Mavericks
Honors & Awards -Achievement All-NBA First Team
-Achievement All-Star Game
Playoffs Did not playMavericks Lost NBA Finals
more >>
8th Season Stats Comparison
Regular Season Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Markelle Fultz 21 8.8 2.9 0.3 0.7 1.0 1.3 0.5 0.1 0.7 0.6 1.3 3.2 .418 0.2 0.4 .500 0.0 0.0 -
difference:+60+29.3+23.7+1.1+6.9+8.0+1.5+0.2+0.9-1.2-1.4+8.0+16.1+.062+1.2+2.9+.094+6.7+7.4
Dirk Nowitzki 81 38.1 26.6 1.4 7.6 9.0 2.8 0.7 1.0 1.9 2.0 9.3 19.3 .480 1.4 3.3 .406 6.7 7.4 .901
Playoffs Stats
G Min Pts ORb DRb Reb Ast Stl Blk TOPF FGM / A% 3PM / A% FTM / A%
Markelle Fultz DNP------ --- ----------
Dirk Nowitzki 23 42.7 27.0 2.0 9.6 11.7 2.9 1.1 0.6 2.1 2.8 8.5 18.2 .468 1.0 2.9 .343 8.9 10.0 .895

Additional Years

* Dirk Nowitzki played 13 seasons more than Markelle Fultz in the NBA.

In that period—his seasons 9 to 21, from 2007 to 2019—Dirk Nowitzki played in 9 Playoffs and won one NBA Championship.

In those 13 extra years over Markelle Fultz, Dirk Nowitzki got these achievements:

Honors & AwardsAchievement 1 Finals MVP
Achievement 1 Season MVP
Achievement 2 All-NBA First Team
Achievement 3 All-NBA Second Team
Achievement 1 All-NBA Third Team
Achievement 9 All-Star Game