Victor Wembanyama breaks out a Dirk Nowitzki signature in Spurs practice

San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama, at the age of 22, has already become an iconic figure in the league. He played a significant role in leading the Spurs to the NBA Finals, falling short of winning the championship against the New York Knicks. 

Drafted No.1 overall, Wembanyama combines elite rim protection and defensive versatility with advanced scoring, passing, and shooting ability. In a recent Spurs practice video, Wembanyama was seen working on the “Dirk Fade”, the signature one-legged fadeaway jumper perfected by Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki.

Victor Wembanyama nailed the ‘Dirk Fade’ in practice

The 7'4" French big man impacts both ends of the floor at an elite level, a rim-protecting force on defense who can score in the post, shoot from distance, and facilitate on offense. By the end of the 2025-26 season, he had already collected Rookie of the Year, multiple All-Star selections, All-NBA and All-Defensive honors, Defensive Player of the Year and Western Conference Finals MVP.

This week, a Spurs practice video circulated widely showing Wembanyama working on and converting the "Dirk Fade." In the clip, Wembanyama isolates or posts up a defender, gathers the ball, elevates while leaning away, kicks one leg out for balance, and releases a high-arcing jumper that falls cleanly.

The move creates separation through body lean and an elevated release point that is extremely difficult to contest, especially when executed by a player of Wembanyama's height and length.

The move is widely regarded as nearly unblockable when performed correctly because the shooter is falling away while releasing the ball at a high point. It requires strength, body control, and shooting touch, attributes Wembanyama continues to refine as he adds muscle and polishes his craft.

Dirk Nowitzki and the ‘Dirk Fade’

Dirk Nowitzki is widely regarded as one of the greatest power forwards and foreign-born players in NBA history. He spent his entire 21-season NBA career (1998–2019) with the Dallas Mavericks after being selected ninth overall in the 1998 draft, finishing with 31,560 points, averaging 20.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game across 1,522 contests.

The "Dirk Fade" is Nowitzki's signature scoring move and one of the most iconic and difficult-to-defend shots in basketball history. After a post-up or isolation, Nowitzki typically used one or two dribbles or a light bump to create space, then elevated primarily off one leg while fading away from the defender, often kicking the other leg out for balance and releasing the ball at a high point with a soft, high-arcing trajectory.

Nowitzki has explained that the move evolved later in his career. As he lost some athleticism and no longer wanted to constantly grind into the paint for contact, he sought a lower-effort high-efficiency option. Working with longtime mentor and coach Holger Geschwindner, he refined a one-legged fade that grew out of earlier hop-step and two-footed fadeaways.

The Dirk Fade has been widely studied, copied, and respected. Stars such as Kevin Durant and LeBron James have incorporated variations of it into their own games. When players like Victor Wembanyama are seen practicing it in 2026, it serves as both a technical tool and a direct nod to Nowitzki's lasting influence on the game.

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