What happened: Dirk Nowitzki passed along a congratulatory message to Hannes Steinbach, the newest member of the Charlotte Hornets. Steinbach is the son of Burkhard Steinbach, Nowitzki's former teammate at DJK Wurzburg X-Rays. The note connects Charlotte's incoming big man to the franchise icon through their shared Wurzburg roots.

Why it matters: The gesture ties Steinbach, whom the Hornets selected 14th in the 2026 NBA Draft, to one of the most decorated European players in NBA history. For Charlotte, landing a German prospect with a direct line to Nowitzki adds a layer of pedigree and storyline to the pick. It also underscores how deep the Wurzburg pipeline runs into the modern NBA.

What to watch: Watch how Steinbach factors into Charlotte's frontcourt rotation entering the 2026-27 season.