What Dirk Nowitzki Said to Hannes Steinbach After Being Drafted by the Hornets

Shortly after the Charlotte Hornets selected Washington center Hannes Steinbach with the 14th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, ESPN brought Steinbach to the interview set and showed a video of Dirk Nowitzki to him, congratulating him on being picked.

Unfortunately, something went wrong with the audio, so viewers couldn't hear what the Hall of Famer was saying, although you could see he said something funny at one point as the Steinbach's were shown laughing during the message.

Now, we know why. NBA insider Marc Stein got hold of the clip and posted it in its entirety on X.

Since there apparently were some audio issues when this aired live … allow me to pass on Dirk Nowitzki’s congratulatory video to the newest Charlotte Hornet Hannes Steinbach … son of Dirk’s former DJK Würzburg X-Rays teammate Burkhard Steinbach: pic.twitter.com/14XZtYGlUM
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 24, 2026

“Hannes, congratulations, my man! Another kid from Würzburg in the league. Incredible. I’ve known you since you were born. I’ve followed your journey, and I’m super proud of you and how you’ve handled everything. Enjoy this moment with your family. Oh, speaking of, I’m so glad you didn’t get your dad’s athleticism and hands. Enjoy this moment. Congratulations!”

Hannes' father, Burkhard Steinbach, played with Dirk in the mid-late 90s for the DJK Würzburg X-Rays before being selected with the 9th overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Dallas Mavericks.

“I think Dirk, in general, just showed how it’s possible to be German and succeed in the NBA," Steinbach told reporters on draft night. "My dad brought me into basketball, and seeing Dirk succeed in the NBA at that level gave me a lot of confidence that I could make it as well.”

When asked about his dad's game, he chuckled before saying, “I never really saw him in his prime, so I don’t really know, but I’ve heard he was a very good rebounder, a very strong big man, so not fun to play against.”

A similar scouting report on Hannes

Mar 12, 2026; Chicago, IL, USA; Washington Huskies forward Hannes Steinbach (6) shoots a free throw against the Wisconsin Badgers during the first half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Steinbach was the best rebounder in all of college basketball last season, as a true freshman, averaging 11.8 boards per game. He pulled down 4.2 rebounds per game as well, which makes him a great fit for this Charles Lee system that likes to chuck up a bunch of threes. He is an absolute thorn in the side of opposing teams when it comes to crashing the glass. Once he gets in position, you are not moving him.

Steinbach will come to Charlotte with a former teammate of his from the youth German National team, Christian Anderson Jr.

Subscribe to our FREE Newsletter for the latest news and updates on the Charlotte Hornets

Add us as a preferred source on Google