Mitchell Starc is taking legal action against an insurance company in an attempt to recoup A$ 1.53 million of his IPL contract with Kolkata Knight Riders, which he was unable to take up last year due to injury.

Fairfax Media reported that paperwork has been lodged with the Victorian County Court against a syndicate of Lloyds of London, after Starc took a specialist insurance for his IPL deal, which was worth A$ 1.8 million, but was then told he was not eligible for a payout after missing the 2018 edition of the tournament.

Starc was injured during the Test series against South Africa, which preceded the IPL - and became best-remembered for the ball-tampering scandal - after picking up a stress fracture in his right leg which began in Port Elizabeth before worsening in Cape Town. He was ruled out of the final Test in Johannesburg.

"The parties have exchanged correspondence about the plaintiff's claim which culminated in a final response from the defendant's representative in the form of an email sent on 22 November 2018," the writ said. "That email confirmed the defendant's contention that the plaintiff is not entitled to the total disablement benefit."

Chennai might miss out on hosting the IPL 2019 final if the long-standing issue over the three closed stands at MA Chidambaram Stadium remains unresolved. In case the stands remain locked, then the BCCI has kept Hyderabad (home to last season's losing finalists Sunrisers) and Bengaluru as back-ups to host the four play-off matches - Hyderabad will then most likely host Qualifier 1 and the final, with Qualifier 2 and the Eliminator taking place in Bengaluru.

The issue was discussed by the BCCI's Committee of Administrators (CoA) and the IPL management on Monday, and it was decided to allow Chennai Super Kings a few more days to try and find a solution to the problem.

Super Kings, as defending champions, have the right to host the final at their home base, and are expected to revert by end of this week after which a final call will be taken on the playoff venues.

The stadium has hosted the IPL 2019 opener between Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore as well as two more games since then with the stands closed. However, the IPL Governing Council has been concerned about the bad optics the vacant stands present, especially on TV, for the marquee matches.

"There are three stands that are locked. If they can't clear the issue, we can't have the finals there," Vinod Rai, the CoA chairman, told ESPNcricinfo. "Otherwise the fallback options are Hyderabad and Bangalore."

The Chennai corporation had closed the three stands - I, J and K, adding up to roughly 12,000 seats - in 2012 as there were discrepancies when the stadium was refurbished before the World Cup in 2011. Only once since then have they been opened to the public, after Tamil Nadu Cricket Association got special permission to do so for an India v Pakistan ODI in December 2012.

Rai also said that the league phase of the women's IPL exhibition matches would be played in Visakhapatnam, and the one-off play-off is likely to take place in Bengaluru. A final schedule would be released by the BCCI shortly.

As Australia's selectors prepare to name their preliminary squad for this year's World Cup, Jason Gillespie has warned that his fellow countrymen cannot be written off after a recent resurgence in form.

Having lost their previous four ODI series since the start of last year, twice to England and once each to South Africa and India, Australia came back from 2-0 down to win their five-match series in India last month.

Australia then won 5-0 against an under-strength Pakistan, who opted to rest six front-line players ahead of the World Cup, putting them on an eight-match winning streak going into the opening match of their title defence against Afghanistan in Bristol on June 1.

"Every other team in this World Cup knows that Australia know how to win World Cups," Gillespie told ESPNcricinfo. "That is something that will be in every other country's mind, that Australia - while they might not be seen as favourites - they know how to win World Cups.

"So for me, I think Australia are very much a dark horse and I wouldn't write them off, that's for sure."

Australia, whose selectors convened on Tuesday, are now No.5 on the ICC world ODI team rankings, behind No.1 and favourites England, India, New Zealand and South Africa.

However, Gillespie - the former Australian fast bowler, now Sussex coach - believes five-time champions Australia are "peaking at the right time".

"They'll take a lot of confidence going into this World Cup," Gillespie said. "Of course I want to see Australia do well. They've copped a lot of stick in recent times but in the last couple of series in India and Pakistan, they've shown some real promise and they've played some really, really good cricket."

Australia have unveiled their kit for the World Cup, a predominantly yellow outfit with lime-green trim, and are set to name their 15-man squad on April 15, although they can make changes up until May 23.

Having made wholesale changes - several times - during the past year, the Australian line-up is by no means clear-cut.

One key question mark hangs over who will make way for David Warner and Steve Smith, who are both expected to return, having served their ball-tampering bans. Usman Khawaja, who averaged 76.60 in India and 54.40 against Pakistan last month, may need to drop to No.3 to allow Warner to open with Aaron Finch.

Shaun Marsh and Peter Handscomb are arguably battling for one place while Ashton Turner is expected to miss out, despite being highly rated by some on the selection panel.

Another conundrum is presented by the race for fitness of injured fast-bowling trio Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood and Jhye Richardson.

Meanwhile, apart from their two series victories against Australia, England have, since January 2018, suffered a shock six-run defeat at the hands of Scotland in a stand-alone match, defeated India 2-1 at home and Sri Lanka 3-1 away before drawing their most recent series against West Indies in the Caribbean 2-2 with one match washed out.

Gillespie, who played just four group matches before returning home injured from Australia's successful 2003 World Cup campaign, believes England, the hosts, are rightful favourites this year.

"There's been a lot of talk of England being favourites and playing at home and I certainly think they deserve that tag," he said. "They've played some wonderful 50-over cricket. They've been really innovative and shown a lot of aggression with bat and ball, they've been really dynamic in the field.

"I think it will just be managing the expectations in England. Personally, selfishly, I'd love to see an England - Australia final at Lord's. I think it would be an amazing spectacle."

Toss Chennai Super Kings chose to bowl v Kolkata Knight Riders

Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni decided to field first against Kolkata Knight Riders in the clash of the table toppers at Chepauk. Dhoni's explanation, when asked about his decision, was one word: dew.

His opposite number Dinesh Karthik admitted that it would be hard to bowl in the second half at Chepauk, because of the amount of dew in the outfield.

Both teams went in unchanged, and have eight points from their five outings. However, most of the focus was on Andre Russell, the West Indies allrounder who has taken everyone's breath away with his big hitting. Still, there was enough talent on the pitch, in both sides, in what is being billed as a fascinating match-up between the two best teams of the season so far.

Chennai Super Kings: 1 Faf du Plessis, 2 Shane Watson, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 Kedar Jadhav, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Scott Kuggeleijn, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Harbhajan Singh, 11 Imran Tahir

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Sunil Narine, 2 Chris Lynn, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Shubman Gill, 6 Dinesh Karthik (capt & wk), 7 Andre Russell, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Harry Gurney, 11 Prasidh Krishna

Toss Chennai Super Kings chose to bowl v Kolkata Knight Riders

Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni decided to field first against Kolkata Knight Riders in the clash of the table toppers at Chepauk. Dhoni's explanation, when asked about his decision, was one word: dew.

His opposite number Dinesh Karthik admitted that it would be hard to bowl in the second half at Chepauk, because of the amount of dew in the outfield.

Both teams went in unchanged, and have eight points from their five outings. However, most of the focus was on Andre Russell, the West Indies allrounder who has taken everyone's breath away with his big hitting. Still, there was enough talent on the pitch, in both sides, in what is being billed as a fascinating match-up between the two best teams of the season so far.

Chennai Super Kings: 1 Faf du Plessis, 2 Shane Watson, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 Kedar Jadhav, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Ravindra Jadeja, 8 Scott Kuggeleijn, 9 Deepak Chahar, 10 Harbhajan Singh, 11 Imran Tahir

Kolkata Knight Riders: 1 Sunil Narine, 2 Chris Lynn, 3 Robin Uthappa, 4 Nitish Rana, 5 Shubman Gill, 6 Dinesh Karthik (capt & wk), 7 Andre Russell, 8 Piyush Chawla, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Harry Gurney, 11 Prasidh Krishna

Johnny Manziel is making his life more simple, at least when it comes to his name, announcing that he is going by John now.

Appearing on "The Dan Patrick Show" on Monday, the former Cleveland Browns quarterback said: "I have a little update for you. I actually go by John these days. So, I'm kind of just turning over the page and moving forward a little bit."

He was asked if this means he's growing up.

"Getting there, I guess," Manziel said.

The 26-year-old signed with the Memphis Express of the AAF in March, but his stint was a short one because the league shut down before completing a season. Manziel suffered a head injury in his final appearance.

"Seeing how fast the AAF just evaporated, it caught me as a surprise a little bit because I was having so much fun in Memphis, probably more fun than I've had since my last game at Texas A&M vs. Duke," Manziel said.

"My plan moving forward is to wake up every day with ... to get back on the field, to continue to work on my craft, whether that's in San Diego with [QB guru] George Whitfield and continue to try to get back to what I think I was -- a little bit of a surgeon with the football in my hand. I feel good, and I'm just going to continue to keep my head down and keep working on what matters the most to me, and that's football."

Manziel joined the AAF after being released by the Montreal Alouettes of the CFL. That league also said he couldn't play for another CFL team. Manziel wouldn't go into much detail regarding his Canadian stint, except to say it didn't turn out the way he had anticipated it would.

Manziel was taken by Cleveland with the No. 22 pick in the 2014 NFL draft. But after two tumultuous seasons, the Browns released him in March 2016 after he posted a 2-6 record as their starter.

Manziel has dealt with several off-field issues. In 2016, a domestic assault charge against him in Dallas was dismissed after he took an anger management course and participated in the NFL's substance abuse program. In a recent interview, he said he has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder and has stopped drinking.

He was asked Monday if he had any leads with NFL teams.

"Right now I have open discussions with a couple of coaches in the league," he said. "I'm trying not to get too up about it or anything that comes my way, so I'm just taking it day by day and trying to make the best of what's going on."

Manziel is encouraged by the rise of smaller, more mobile QBs such as Kyler Murray. Six-foot Manziel broke the mold of the tall pocket passer while winning the Heisman Trophy at Texas A&M.

"I think it's finally trending to 'can you play ball or can you not play,' and if you can, and somebody believes in you and says we're going to tailor some of these things around you to be successful, I think that's the recipe for success, not that you're undersized or a dual threat or whatever it is," Manziel said.

He knows that he didn't make the most of his first stint in the NFL.

"You're as good in the NFL as you are prepared for it. I learned that the hard way my first year in Cleveland," he said.

Oddsmakers in Las Vegas like the Virginia Cavaliers to repeat as NCAA men's basketball champions in 2020.

Caesars Palace was the first sportsbook to post odds and installed the Cavaliers as the favorites at 5-1 prior their 85-77 overtime victory in Monday night's title game. Runner-up Texas Tech was listed at 30-1 odds.

The Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook followed by making Virginia and the Kentucky Wildcats co-favorites at 7-1.

After Virginia, Duke and Kentucky have the second-best odds at Caesars at 8-1, followed by Gonzaga at 10-1 and Michigan State at 12-1. Duke's Tre Jones on Monday announced he would return to school next season, but the Blue Devils are expected to lose Zion Williamson, Cam Reddish and RJ Barrett.

Westgate opened both Duke and Michigan State at 8-1.

"Virginia's only loss to graduation is reserve big man Jack Salt, so they will be stacked again next year if no one leaves for the NBA," Matt Lindeman, manager of trading at Caesars, told ESPN. "You always have to stay conservative with Duke and Kentucky until you know who is leaving and where the unsigned recruits are going. I'd much rather open too low and bump a team when guys leave than open too high and take a sharp bet when they unexpectedly come back to school."

Louisville and Villanova (the 2018 national champion) have 15-1 odds at Caesars, and this year's other Final Four team, Auburn, has 20-1 odds.

Lindeman also cited a few Pac-12 squads such as Arizona (25-1), USC (100-1) and UCLA (100-1) as teams that were challenging to make odds on.

He added about LSU: "All of the uncertainty surrounding Will Wade made them challenging, as well, given they're a young team who could be dangerous."

There are 11 teams, including Clemson, Miami and BYU, with odds of 1,000-1 at Caesars.

Duke opened as the consensus title favorite at U.S. sportsbooks last year. The Blue Devils opened as the 5-1 favorite at the Westgate Las Vegas SuperBook.

Next year's title game will be played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on April 6, 2020.

Congratulations, Virginia, you've joined the most exclusive of college basketball clubs. In fact, some of the greatest teams ever to play the sport would love to be in your shoes right now, starting with UNLV 1991, Duke 1999 and, yes, Kentucky 2015.

On the subject of greatest teams, I decided to go ahead and, once again, attempt the impossible. I ranked every team that's ever won the national title, starting with Oregon in 1939 and running up through the Cavaliers in 2019.

Crazy? Of course. Even the teams "down" in the 50s on this list were, of course, preeminent and even dominant at times.

Naturally, the most dominant teams of all tend to come from the era when players were, for the most part, required to stay with their teams for a full four seasons. That led to some truly legendary synergies between experience and talent.

Still, you don't have to read too far down this list to come across familiar names from the past few seasons. Say what you will about the one-and-done era, it has not lacked for great teams.

Here are my rankings of every NCAA tournament champion, from 1939 to 2019:

1. UCLA Bruins, 1972 (30-0)

The average -- repeat, average -- final score of a UCLA game in 1971-72 was 95-64. The Bruins finished the season 30-0, having played only two games that were decided by single digits (one being UCLA's 81-76 victory over Florida State in the national championship game). Bill Walton made his collegiate debut and averaged a 21-point, 16-rebound double-double for the season, and Henry Bibby joined him on the consensus All-America first team. Curiously, in this pre-shot-clock era, only one opponent chose to take the air out of the ball. Notre Dame hosted the Bruins in January, and Digger Phelps' team attempted only one shot in the first 10 minutes of the second half. The Irish lost 57-32.

2. Indiana Hoosiers, 1976 (32-0)

Bob Knight's Hoosiers announced their intentions at the outset in 1975-76 with an easy 20-point win over No. 2-ranked UCLA in a made-for-TV season opener played in St. Louis. The Hoosiers were tested in two overtime games (against Kentucky at Freedom Hall in Louisville, and at home against Michigan), and they also had to prevail in nine additional single-digit contests over the course of the season. Nevertheless, Indiana seemed to gather strength as the season progressed: Knight's team won its NCAA tournament games by an average of 13 points. The Hoosiers were the product of Knight's manifest coaching prowess and elite (though often underrated in subsequent years) talent: Kent Benson, Scott May, Quinn Buckner and Bob Wilkerson were all selected at No. 11 or higher in the two ensuing NBA drafts.

3. UCLA Bruins, 1973 (30-0)

Walton cemented his status as one of the greatest college players of all time with 44 points on 21-of-22 shooting in the national championship game against Memphis State. UCLA's average margin of victory that season was 22 points, and no NCAA tournament opponent was able to come within 10 points of John Wooden's team.

4. San Francisco Dons, 1956 (29-0)

Incredibly, USF rolled through that season's bracket with ease despite the fact that coach Phil Woolpert's second-best player, K.C. Jones, had been ruled ineligible for the tournament by the NCAA. Led by Bill Russell, the Dons were the first team in the NCAA tournament era to finish its season undefeated.

5. UCLA Bruins, 1968 (29-1)

Arguably the greatest team in NCAA history that didn't go undefeated, the Bruins lost the "Game of the Century" in January to Elvin Hayes and Houston 71-69 before a crowd of 52,000 at the Astrodome. That blemish was avenged by Lew Alcindor and his teammates when UCLA defeated the Cougars 101-69 in the Final Four. Dunking was banned across college basketball in 1967-68 as a direct response (more or less) to Alcindor's dominance. The prohibition wasn't lifted until 1976-77.

6. UCLA Bruins, 1967 (30-0)

Alcindor made his collegiate debut and averaged 29 points and 16 rebounds. The Bruins were seriously challenged only twice in the course of recording a perfect season, and both games were played on the road. In February, archrival USC held on to the ball and took the contest to overtime before losing 40-35. Two weeks later, Oregon employed the same strategy but fell short, 34-25.

7. UTEP Miners (Texas Western), 1966 (28-1)

The school then known as Texas Western made history in more ways than one. For the first time, a team with five black starters won the national title, a feat Don Haskins' Miners achieved by defeating an all-white Kentucky team 72-65 at Cole Field House, in College Park, Maryland. Bobby Joe Hill and Willie Worsley led Western to victory over Pat Riley and the Wildcats.

8. North Carolina Tar Heels, 1957 (32-0)

Famed for winning what's reputed to be the greatest NCAA title game of them all, North Carolina became only the second team to go undefeated in the tournament era and win the national championship. In the title game, Frank McGuire's Tar Heels won 54-53 in triple-overtime over Wilt Chamberlain and Kansas. Carolina prevailed despite leading scorer Lennie Rosenbluth fouling out with 1 minute, 45 seconds left in regulation.

9. North Carolina Tar Heels, 1982 (32-2)

Dean Smith won his first national title with a roster that boasted 12 future NBA draft picks, including Michael Jordan, James Worthy and Sam Perkins. Yet even with all that talent, the Tar Heels had to be clutch to win the title. Carolina won its first five tournament games by 2, 5, 10 and 5 points, respectively, leading up to Jordan's winner in UNC's 63-62 victory over Patrick Ewing and Georgetown. Earlier that March, a nationally televised but unsightly 47-45 win over Ralph Sampson and Virginia in the ACC tournament title game helped persuade college basketball to at last adopt the shot clock.

10. NC State Wolfpack, 1974 (30-1)

David Thompson, Tom Burleson, Monte Towe and the Wolfpack did what no team had been able to do for eight years: Norm Sloan's men beat Wooden and UCLA in double overtime 80-77 in the national semifinal before triumphing over Marquette in the title game. Remarkably the 6-foot-4 Thompson averaged 26 points and shot 55 percent from the field (all 2-pointers, of course) as a junior despite playing during an era when dunks were prohibited.

11. UCLA Bruins, 1969 (29-1)

One day after being taken to double overtime by USC at the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena, the Bruins lost to the Trojans 46-44 at Pauley Pavilion. It proved to be UCLA's only loss of the season, and Alcindor & Co. defeated Purdue, their coach's alma mater, in the NCAA title game 92-72.

12. San Francisco Dons, 1955 (28-1)

Behind Russell and Jones, the Dons became the first team on the West Coast to win a title since Stanford in 1942, a fact that was not lost on Woolpert. After watching Jones hold La Salle's Tom Gola to only seven second-half points in the title game, the USF coach said his star had done "things they have never seen in the middle west."

13. Kentucky Wildcats, 1996 (34-2)

They were called The Untouchables: Tony Delk, Antoine Walker & Co. dropped neutral-site games to John Calipari's UMass squad and to Mississippi State in the SEC tournament title game. Nevertheless, Rick Pitino's Wildcats breezed through that year's NCAA bracket, winning six games by an average of 21 points. UK won its rematch against Marcus Camby and the Minutemen in the Final Four, and then defeated John Wallace and Syracuse to win the title.

14. Cincinnati Bearcats, 1962 (29-2)

With Paul Hogue, Tom Thacker and Tony Yates returning as starters from a defending national champion, expectations were high for Ed Jucker's team. A two-point win over Wooden and UCLA in the Final Four set up a second consecutive meeting in the title game against John Havlicek and Ohio State. The Bearcats won 71-59, heightening a bitter rivalry that had already seen Jucker being briefly detained by Columbus police when he arrived in town to scout the Buckeyes.

15. Duke Blue Devils, 1992 (34-2)

Mike Krzyzewski did something no coach since Wooden had done: win back-to-back titles. Propelled by Christian Laettner's iconic buzzer-beater in the Elite Eight against Kentucky, the Blue Devils then survived an 81-78 nail-biter against Knight and Indiana before beating Michigan's Fab Five 71-51 in the final.

16. Kentucky Wildcats, 2012 (38-2)

Only a miracle shot by Indiana's Christian Watford and a desultory showing by the Wildcats in the SEC tournament title game against Vanderbilt prevented John Calipari's group from becoming the first team in 36 years to go undefeated. In its six-game march through the bracket, UK won every contest by eight points or more. Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Terrence Jones and Marquis Teague were all first-round picks in the ensuing NBA draft.

17. UCLA Bruins, 1971 (29-1)

No Alcindor, no Walton, no problem. UCLA lost at Notre Dame in January, but the ensuing victory against UC Santa Barbara was the first in what became an 88-game win streak spanning four seasons. (A streak that was also ended by Phelps' Fighting Irish in South Bend, Indiana.) Both Sidney Wicks and Curtis Rowe were selected first-team All-Americans.

18. UCLA Bruins, 1964 (30-0)

As the first of what would become 10 national championship teams under Wooden, the 1963-64 Bruins defeated Duke 98-83 in the title game. Wooden always credited assistant coach Jerry Norman (albeit not vocally enough for Norman's tastes) for conceiving the zone press that Gail Goodrich, Walt Hazzard, Keith Erickson and the rest of the team used to such devastating effect.

19. UCLA Bruins, 1970 (28-2)

Wicks, Bibby, Rowe and John Vallely all averaged 15 points or more in an era of fast-paced hoops that saw Wooden's team face its toughest challenges in Pac-8 play. Conversely, once the Bruins reached the NCAA tournament, they won every game by 11 points or more, including an 80-69 victory in the final over Jacksonville. UCLA averaged 92 points.

20. Kentucky Wildcats, 1978 (30-2)

Jack Givens recorded possibly the finest title-game performance of any player not named Bill Walton, scoring 41 points on 18-of-27 (pre-3-point shot) shooting to give the Wildcats a 94-88 win over Duke. Joe B. Hall's balanced rotation also featured Rick Robey, Kyle Macy, James Lee and Mike Phillips.

21. Connecticut Huskies, 1999 (34-2)

The winner of the 1999 national championship game was fated to be highly ranked on this list. That team was UConn, which prevailed against Elton Brand, Trajan Langdon and favored Duke 77-74 in a final for the ages. Richard Hamilton won most outstanding player honors for the Huskies, as he, Khalid El-Amin and Jake Voskuhl secured a first national title for Jim Calhoun.

22. Ohio State Buckeyes, 1960 (25-3)

In what still stands as one of the most dominant runs through the bracket in the event's history, Fred Taylor's Buckeyes won their tournament games by an average of more than 19 points. With two future Basketball Hall of Fame inductees on the roster in Havlicek and Jerry Lucas, Taylor had more than enough talent to defeat Cal 75-55 in the title game.

23. UCLA Bruins, 1965 (28-2)

The defending national champions lost their season opener to Illinois, but went 28-1 the rest of the way. Erickson and Goodrich returned from the team that had won the title the previous season, and led a fast-paced Bruins attack that averaged 100 points per 40 minutes over the tournament's first four games. In the final, Wooden's men defeated Cazzie Russell and Michigan 91-80.

24. Duke Blue Devils, 2001 (35-4)

Coach K's team wrapped up the regular season by winning at North Carolina and avenging an earlier loss to the Tar Heels at Cameron Indoor Stadium. It was the first of what would be 10 consecutive wins to close the season for Shane Battier, Carlos Boozer and Jay Williams. Krzyzewski won his third title when Duke defeated Richard Jefferson and Arizona 82-72 in the championship game.

25. Arkansas Razorbacks, 1994 (31-3)

Nolan Richardson called his style "40 minutes of hell." For opponents, the Razorbacks' pressing defense was aptly named. Corliss Williamson shot 63 percent on his 2s and led an Arkansas attack that turned back the likes of Georgetown, Michigan and Arizona all by eight points or more before defeating Grant Hill and Duke 76-72 in the final. Bill Clinton cheered on his home-state team from the stands in Charlotte, North Carolina, marking the first time a sitting president attended a Final Four.

26. Georgetown Hoyas, 1984 (34-3)

John Thompson Jr.'s run to a championship was nearly thwarted in the Hoyas' first tournament game. In an era that predated the shot clock, underdog SMU chose to hold on to the ball before falling to Georgetown 37-36. Thompson's men won the title 84-75 over Hakeem Olajuwon and Houston. Ewing averaged 16 points on 66 percent shooting from the field.

27. Kansas Jayhawks, 2008 (37-3)

This is possibly the best 21st-century team never to have been ranked No. 1 in its championship season. Mario Chalmers, Darrell Arthur, Brandon Rush, Sherron Collins and the Jayhawks dropped road games at Kansas State, Texas and Oklahoma State and fell to as low as No. 7 in that season's AP poll. But Bill Self's team showed its true colors in the NCAA tournament, blowing out North Carolina (that season's perennial No. 1) in the national semifinal, and then winning the title with a thrilling overtime victory against Memphis.

28. UNLV Rebels, 1990 (35-5)

Though the national championship game is remembered as the most one-sided ever, UNLV's 103-73 victory over Duke was recorded by a team that had lost five times in the regular season. (Jerry Tarkanian's group also had to survive a 69-67 scare from No. 12 seed Ball State in the Sweet 16.) It was the UNLV team the following season that really looked unstoppable. Larry Johnson, Anderson Hunt, Stacey Augmon and Greg Anthony all returned and the Rebels won their first 34 games before the Blue Devils got their revenge in the Final Four, 79-77.

29. North Carolina Tar Heels, 1993 (34-4)

Dean Smith's Tar Heels won their games in 1992-93 by an average of nearly 18 points, as Eric Montross, George Lynch and Donald Williams all scored 14 points or better per game. UNC clinched the 77-71 win over Michigan in the championship game when Chris Webber called a timeout his team did not have.

30. Louisville Cardinals, 1980 (33-3)

Denny Crum's Cardinals barely survived their first NCAA tournament game, edging Kansas State 71-69. No opponent came that close again, however, as Darrell Griffith, Derek Smith and Wiley Brown led Louisville to a 59-54 win in the title game over surprising No. 8 seed UCLA.

31. North Carolina Tar Heels, 2009 (34-4)

The Tyler Hansbrough-era Tar Heels that had achieved No. 1 rankings in three consecutive regular seasons closed the deal and won it all. Ty Lawson was named ACC player of the year, and UNC marched through the bracket with no opponent coming closer than 12 points. In the final, Carolina raced out to a 55-34 halftime lead against Michigan State and cruised to an 89-72 victory.

32. Florida Gators, 2007 (35-5)

With all five starters returning from a national championship team, big things were expected of Billy Donovan's Gators. Big things had to wait: Florida lost two of its first nine games, reeled off 17 wins in a row and then, rather remarkably, recorded a 1-3 stretch in late February. Maybe Corey Brewer, Al Horford and Joakim Noah just needed to make things interesting. Florida turned back Greg Oden, Mike Conley and Ohio State in the title game to win what will remain until at least 2020 the sport's last back-to-back titles.

33. Villanova Wildcats, 2018 (36-4)

No team has ever shot so many 3s in a six-game run to a national title, and, as a result, Villanova left a trail of overwhelmed defenses in its wake. Even when the Wildcats were cold from the outside -- as they were against Texas Tech in the Elite Eight -- it didn't matter, as Jalen Brunson, Mikal Bridges & Co. simply found another way to win. With all five players on the floor able to shoot, penetrate and pass, opponents could find no good options for stopping Villanova. When they were done, the Wildcats had recorded one of the finest six-game displays of offense the tournament has ever witnessed.

34. Virginia Cavaliers, 2019 (35-3)

It took 45 minutes, an overtime session against Texas Tech and one long year of steady redemption after the shocking loss to No. 16 seed UMBC in the 2018 tournament. But Virginia won it all for the first time in program history, thanks to 27 points from De'Andre Hunter. Long known for outstanding defense, the Cavaliers won a title by draining 11 3s. It took a few tries, but Tony Bennett proved a deliberate tempo can indeed work in March and even April.

35. North Carolina Tar Heels, 2005 (33-4)

Roy Williams inherited Rashad McCants, Raymond Felton and Sean May from former UNC coach Matt Doherty, and the former Kansas coach put that talent to good use. After a season-opening loss to Santa Clara, the Tar Heels went 33-3 the rest of the way, including a 75-70 victory over Deron Williams, Dee Brown and Illinois in the title game.

36. Indiana Hoosiers, 1987 (30-4)

In the first season of the 3-point shot, Bob Knight adopted the new weapon with surprising alacrity. Steve Alford made 53 percent of his tries from beyond the arc, and his 7-of-10 shooting on 3s in the title game against Syracuse put teammate Keith Smart in position to hit the winner in the Hoosiers' 74-73 victory. IU reached that point by winning a series of games in the 40th minute, prevailing against Duke, LSU and UNLV by 6, 1 and 4 points, respectively.

37. UCLA Bruins, 1975 (28-3)

This was Wooden's final national championship team, and without a doubt his most "clutch" group. The Bruins reached the title game after a run that included a three-point win over Montana and a one-point overtime victory against Louisville. When Wooden walked off the floor of the San Diego Sports Arena on March 31, 1975, following UCLA's 92-85 win over Kentucky, the sport said goodbye to a legend.

38. Loyola Ramblers, 1963 (29-2)

In the last overtime title game until Michigan defeated Seton Hall 26 years later, the Ramblers won the championship 60-58 over two-time defending champion Cincinnati when Vic Rouse tipped in a Les Hunter miss as time expired. George Ireland's team was nicknamed the Iron Men, after NCAA eligibility rulings on two of his players forced the coach to play his five starters virtually without substitution.

39. Maryland Terrapins, 2002 (32-4)

With a lineup featuring Juan Dixon, Lonny Baxter and Chris Wilcox, the Terrapins averaged 85 points and went 15-1 in the ACC before falling to NC State in the conference tournament. Whether that was the wake-up call Gary Williams' team needed, Maryland won every NCAA tournament game by eight points or more. In the final, the Terps turned back a surprising Indiana team led by Jared Jeffries and coached by Mike Davis.

40. California Golden Bears, 1959 (25-4)

If you believe defense wins championships, this is the team for you. Coach Pete Newell's Bears limited opponents to only 51 points per game, and the coach's philosophy had a profound and lasting impact on a young student of the game named Bob Knight. In a Final Four renowned for featuring both Oscar Robertson and Jerry West, it was a relatively unknown Cal team that won the title by defeating West Virginia 71-70. Darrall Imhoff tipped in the winner for the Bears with 17 seconds remaining.

41. Duke Blue Devils, 2015 (35-4)

It was supposed to be Kentucky's year, and indeed the Wildcats sat atop the polls from the preseason all the way into April. But Wisconsin knocked off John Calipari's 38-0 team in the national semifinals, and then Jahlil Okafor, Justise Winslow, Tyus Jones and, more surprisingly, Grayson Allen proved to be too much for the Badgers in the championship game.

42. UCLA Bruins, 1995 (31-2)

Jim Harrick's Bruins averaged better than 87 points per outing, and once Tyus Edney made his length-of-the-court dash to beat Missouri in the round of 32, nothing could stop Ed O'Bannon and UCLA. In the final, the Bruins dashed Arkansas' hopes of winning back-to-back championships, beating the Razorbacks 89-78.

43. Cincinnati Bearcats, 1961 (27-3)

Hogue and Bob Wiesenhahn both averaged better than 16 points for a Bearcats team that dropped two games in Missouri Valley play, yet still marched to its third consecutive Final Four. In his first season as head coach in Cincinnati, Jucker won a national championship when his team defeated Ohio State in the title game 70-65.

44. Louisville Cardinals, 2013 (35-5)

Pitino's Cardinals struggled through a February funk, losing three games in a row and subsequently dropping a five-overtime classic at Notre Dame. However that would be the last time Peyton Siva and Russ Smith would come out on the wrong end of a final score. Entering the tournament as the overall No. 1 seed, the Cardinals moved through the bracket with relative ease before surviving a scare from suddenly unstoppable Michigan guard Spike Albrecht in the national final. George Mason transfer Luke Hancock earned Final Four most outstanding player honors. The title was subsequently vacated in 2018 in the wake of the NCAA's investigation into illicit recruiting and player benefits. Louisville is the first Division I team to vacate a title in the Final Four era.

45. North Carolina Tar Heels, 2017 (33-7)

What is it with the Tar Heels? In three different seasons under Williams -- 2004-05, 2008-09 and 2016-17 -- UNC (1) won the Maui Invitational, (2) captured the ACC regular-season title, (3) watched as Duke earned the league's automatic bid with an ACC tournament championship, (4) entered the NCAA tournament as a No. 1 seed, and (5) won the national title. Eerie. ACC Player of the Year Justin Jackson set a school record for 3s, Kennedy Meeks dominated the offensive glass and all season long the team recorded far more attempts than its opponents. Add it all up, and it's a personal hat trick for Williams.

46. Kentucky Wildcats, 1998 (35-4)

It took six years, but the Wildcats extracted payback for the Laettner miracle of 1992. In an Elite Eight game that Duke led comfortably in the second half, Wayne Turner proceeded to slice the Blue Devils' defense to ribbons. Steve Wojciechowski and his teammates couldn't stay in front of Turner, and Tubby Smith's team went on to defeat Rick Majerus and Utah in the title game 78-69.

47. Villanova Wildcats, 2016 (35-5)

For a third consecutive season the Wildcats won the Big East outright with a 16-2 record, but after two consecutive exits in the round of 32, Jay Wright's team faced its share of skeptics entering the 2016 bracket. Still, nothing defeats skepticism like historically good offense and six straight wins. Kris Jenkins hit a pure release-buzzer-swish game winner from 3 to give Nova the 77-74 victory over North Carolina.

48. Kentucky Wildcats, 1951 (32-2)

Other than a 76-74 squeaker against Illinois in the national semifinal, Adolph Rupp's team was never seriously challenged on the road to a third national title for UK. On a Wildcats team that also included sophomore Cliff Hagan, MOP honors went to Bill Spivey.

49. Syracuse Orange, 2003 (30-5)

The road to a national title for Syracuse went through the heart of the Big 12, and though it was seeded on the No. 3 line Jim Boeheim's team was up to the task. With wins over not only Manhattan and Auburn but also Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas, the Orange won it all behind the scoring of freshman Carmelo Anthony and a potentially game-saving blocked shot against the Jayhawks by Hakim Warrick.

50. Duke Blue Devils, 2010 (35-5)

Kyle Singler, Jon Scheyer and Nolan Smith didn't get much respect in 2009-10, but the Blue Devils just kept winning. With Singler and Scheyer hitting 3s, and perpetually underrated big man Brian Zoubek gobbling up offensive boards, Coach K's guys were able to overcome aberrantly poor 2-point shooting and win it all when a would-be buzzer-beater for the ages by Butler's Gordon Hayward rimmed out.

51. Connecticut Huskies, 2004 (33-6)

No tournament opponent could stay with Ben Gordon and Emeka Okafor into the 40th minute but one, and that game came in the national semifinal. Facing a Duke team led by JJ Redick and Luol Deng, the Huskies overcame Okafor's foul trouble and rallied from a late eight-point deficit to win 79-78.Calhoun's men then defeated Georgia Tech 82-73 in the final to claim the program's second national championship.

52. Michigan State Spartans, 1979 (26-6)

In a made-for-TV showdown that helped establish the NCAA tournament as a national rite of spring, Magic Johnson, Greg Kelser and Michigan State faced Larry Bird and undefeated Indiana State in the title game in Salt Lake City. Jud Heathcote's Spartans won 75-64, and Johnson helped redefine the sport as a 6-foot-9 point guard who averaged more than 8 assists.

53. Michigan State Spartans, 2000 (32-7)

While Mateen Cleaves sat out the early part of the season because of an injury, the Spartans started 9-4. Included in that early stretch was a loss at Wright State. But once Cleaves returned to the lineup this was a different team. Though Tom Izzo's group lost in overtime at Indiana in late February, MSU closed the season with 11 straight wins in which every opponent lost by nine points or more. Cleaves and fellow Flint products Morris Peterson and Charlie Bell ("the Flintstones") led the Spartans past Udonis Haslem and Florida 89-76 to win it all.

54. Duke Blue Devils, 1991 (32-7)

Though it wasn't the greatest team Coach K has ever had (particularly on defense), this was the one that won him his first national title. Laettner, Bobby Hurley, Bill McCaffery and Thomas Hill were blown out in the ACC tournament title game 96-74 by North Carolina, but the Blue Devils rallied and won a thrilling grudge match against heavily favored UNLV in the Final Four before securing the championship with a 72-65 victory over Kansas.

55. Florida Gators, 2006 (33-6)

Going into the 2006 tournament all eyes were on Duke, Connecticut and a bracket that had been drawn up accordingly. But after the Blue Devils lost to LSU in the Sweet 16 and the Huskies were edged by George Mason in one of the best regional finals ever played, the path was clear for Donovan and his young Gators. Horford, Noah and Brewer ended the Patriots' Cinderella run, and then beat UCLA 73-57 for the first of what would be back-to-back titles for Donovan.

56. Michigan Wolverines, 1989 (30-7)

Bo Schembechler made headlines as an athletic director in 1989 when he told basketball coach Bill Frieder not to bother showing up for the NCAA tournament after he agreed to take the job at Arizona State. ("A Michigan man will coach Michigan.") Interim and eventual head coach Steve Fisher then led Glen Rice, Rumeal Robinson and Sean Higgins to thrilling last-minute victories at the Final Four over Illinois and in overtime against Seton Hall, giving Michigan its only national title.

57. Indiana Hoosiers, 1981 (26-9)

Remembered as the team that Isiah Thomas took to a championship, the Hoosiers struggled early and greeted New Year's Day with a 7-5 record. But Knight's emphasis on defense began to pay dividends in conference play, and though IU was a No. 3 seed, Thomas, Ray Tolbert & Co. ended up marching through the bracket without once playing a contest decided by single digits.

58. Arizona Wildcats 1997 (25-9)

Still the only team to defeat three No. 1 seeds in a single NCAA tournament, Lute Olson's Wildcats started their historic run by upsetting top overall seed Kansas 85-82 in the Sweet 16. After defeating fellow Cinderella Providence, Arizona prevailed against North Carolina and won a showdown against a Kentucky team shooting for a second consecutive national title. Instead, Michael Dickerson, Mike Bibby and Miles Simon beat the other Wildcats 84-79.

59. Connecticut Huskies, 2011 (32-9)

UConn's 9-9 finish in the Big East was so uninspiring the Huskies were bracketed in the Big East tournament's first-round daytime game against DePaul. The opening tip of that sparsely attended contest, however, marked the beginning of a stunning 11-0 run by Calhoun's team. For much of that run, Kemba Walker and Jeremy Lamb were unstoppable on offense. Then, when the Huskies reached the Final Four, a switch was flipped and the UConn defense held Kentucky and Butler to only 96 combined points over the course of two games.

60. Connecticut Huskies, 2014 (32-8)

Shades of 2011: Shabazz Napier took the role of Walker and led the No. 7 seed Huskies on a run to the championship. Kevin Ollie's team needed overtime to escape Saint Joseph's in the round of 64, but from that point forward no opponent came closer to UConn than six points on the scoreboard. That included a win against overall No. 1 seed Florida in the national semifinal, as well as a title-game victory over Kentucky and game-winning-shot specialist Aaron Harrison.

61. Louisville Cardinals, 1986 (32-7)

Billy Thompson, Milt Wagner and freshman sensation Pervis Ellison headlined a high-scoring attack for Crum that seemed to grow stronger as the season progressed. In the championship game, the Cardinals eked out a 72-69 win over a Duke team led by Johnny Dawkins, Mark Alarie, David Henderson and Jay Bilas.

62. Marquette Golden Eagles, 1977 (25-7)

Marquette won the national championship as an independent team, unaffiliated with any conference. That unbounded spirit seemed to animate everything and everyone from the uniforms to the team's unfailingly quotable coach, Al McGuire. The uniquely attired players were also good at basketball: Butch Lee averaged 20 points, and Bo Ellis and Jerome Whitehead controlled the boards.

63. Indiana Hoosiers, 1953 (23-3)

The Hoosiers' three losses came by a combined total of five points, all in true road games (at Notre Dame, Kansas State and Minnesota). Once IU was safely ensconced on neutral floors, however, coach Branch McCracken's team beat Kansas 69-68 to win the program its second national championship. In an era not thought of as high-scoring, Indiana averaged better than 80 points behind the consistent production of 6-foot-9 center Don Schlundt.

64. Kentucky Wildcats, 1949 (32-2)

The Wildcats rode both the scoring and the defense of center Alex Groza, who recorded almost twice as many points as second-leading scorer Ralph Beard. After watching UK ring up a total of 161 points in wins over Villanova and Illinois, Oklahoma State attempted to slow things down in the title game. The result was a 46-36 victory for Rupp's team.

65. La Salle Explorers, 1954 (26-4)

Tom Gola dominated college basketball in the mid-1950s as a 6-foot-7 athlete who could both score and rebound. His Explorers weren't statistically dominant on either end of the court, but no one found a way to beat coach Kenneth Loeffler's La Salle team when it mattered most. The Explorers would play in a second consecutive national title game the following season only to lose to Bill Russell and San Francisco.

66. Kansas Jayhawks, 1952 (28-3)

After a close four-point win over TCU in their first NCAA tournament game, the Jayhawks were never seriously threatened on their way to the program's first national championship. At 6-foot-9, Clyde Lovellette averaged 28 points a game and shot 74 percent at the line for coach Phog Allen. In KU's 80-63 win over St. John's in the final, Lovellette recorded a 33-point, 17-rebound double-double.

67. Kentucky Wildcats, 1958 (23-6)

Led by Vernon Hatton and Johnny Cox and dubbed the "Fiddlin' Five" for reasons that apparently satisfied Rupp ("We've got fiddlers, that's all. ... We don't have any violinists."), UK beat Elgin Baylor and Seattle 84-72 to bring a fourth championship back to Lexington.

68. Kansas Jayhawks, 1988 (27-11)

Larry Brown's team entered the tournament as a No. 6 seed after a third-place finish in the Big Eight. Yet even during an up-and-down regular-season Danny Manning averaged 24 points, and once the Jayhawks survived a close game against Murray State in the second round it was clear sailing all the way to the finals. That's where Stacey King, Mookie Blaylock and Oklahoma were waiting, but KU emerged victorious thanks to a 31-point, 18-rebound double-double from Manning.

69. NC State Wolfpack, 1983 (26-10)

Everyone remembers the final seconds of the final game, but what Jim Valvano did just to get his team that far was incredible enough. NC State probably wouldn't have received a bid if it hadn't won the ACC tournament, and in the NCAA tournament Valvano's men advanced by margins of 2,1, 19, 1 and 7 points, respectively. Facing overwhelming favorite Houston and its Phi Slama Jama lineup of Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler and Michael Young, Valvano slowed the game down all the way to the 40th minute. That's when NC State's Dereck Whittenburg airballed a 30-footer that Lorenzo Charles was able to catch and dunk. Never give up.

70. Villanova Wildcats, 1985 (25-10)

Rollie Massimino's veteran core of Ed Pinckney, Dwayne McClain and Harold Pressley was the afterthought at a Final Four that featured fellow Big East members Georgetown and St. John's. But the Wildcats extended their thrilling run of close-game mastery and defeated Ewing and the Hoyas 66-64. In winning six tournament games, Villanova held opponents to an average of 50 points.

71. Oklahoma State Cowboys (Oklahoma A&M Aggies), 1946 (31-2)

The team then known as Oklahoma A&M featured Bob Kurland, reputed to be the first true 7-footer in college basketball history. With Kurland on the floor and Hank Iba calling the plays, the Aggies went undefeated in Missouri Valley play, breezed to the title game and won a tense 43-40 contest over North Carolina. The semifinals and finals in New York City that year marked the first time that four teams met at a neutral site to determine a national champion.

72. Kentucky Wildcats, 1948 (36-3)

As he would be again in 1949, Groza was UK's leading scorer in the paint. But in winning the first of what would be back-to-back titles he had help on offense from guard Ralph Beard. The Wildcats won by comfortable margins against Columbia, Holy Cross and Baylor to claim the program's first national championship.

73. Wyoming Cowboys, 1943 (31-2)

After beating Georgetown 46-34 to win the NCAA title, Ken Sailors, Milo Komenich and the Cowboys faced NIT champions St. John's in a benefit game with the proceeds going to support the Red Cross. Though Wyoming was effectively the visiting team playing at Madison Square Garden, coach Everett Shelton's team won the mythical national championship with a 52-47 victory.

74. Holy Cross Crusaders, 1947 (27-3)

George Kaftan was named the tournament MOP, but any team with Bob Cousy in the backcourt confronted opponents with a taller task than stopping only one player. Coach Alvin "Doggie" Julian's team won its championship by defeating Navy, CCNY and Oklahoma.

75. Indiana Hoosiers, 1940 (20-3)

In later years and indeed until the 1970s, a team would have to win its conference to play in the NCAA tournament. But in 1940 these procedures were still being worked out, and the Hoosiers received a bid after finishing second in the Big Ten. McCracken's team made the most of the opportunity and won the title behind Marv Huffman's MOP heroics.

76. Wisconsin Badgers, 1941 (20-3)

Gene Englund was the consensus first-team All-American, but most outstanding player honors went to John Kotz as coach Bud Foster's Badgers defeated Washington State 39-34 to capture the NCAA tournament's third championship.

77. Oklahoma State Cowboys (Oklahoma A&M Aggies), 1945 (27-4)

Iba's team won the first of what would be two consecutive championships when Kurland scored 22 points in the Aggies' 49-45 victory over NYU. Cecil Hankins had 15 points for A&M in the championship game.

78. Stanford Cardinal, 1942 (28-4)

Howie Dallmar won MOP honors for coach Everett Dean's team, as the Cardinal defeated Dartmouth 53-38 to win the title.

79. Oregon Ducks, 1939 (29-5)

The "Tall Firs" bounced back from a 19-point loss at Oregon State to end the season with eight straight wins. Howard Hobson's Ducks beat Texas, Oklahoma and Ohio State to win the first NCAA tournament, as John Dick scored 15 points against a Buckeyes defense focused on Slim Wintermute and Lauren "Laddie" Gale.

80. CCNY Beavers, 1950 (24-5)

The only team to win NCAA and NIT titles in the same season, CCNY beat Bradley 71-68 for its NCAA championship. Irwin Dambrot won most outstanding player honors, and coach Nat Holman would make an appearance on "The Ed Sullivan Show," but the following season the Beavers were embroiled in a point-shaving investigation. Ultimately the scandal enveloped not only New York-area programs like NYU, Manhattan and LIU, but also Kentucky, Bradley and Toledo.

81. Utah Utes, 1944 (21-4)

Coach Vadal Peterson's team featured Arnie Ferrin, and the Utes received an NCAA bid only after an auto accident injured enough members of the Arkansas team to force the Razorbacks to decline their invitation.

Kentucky Wildcats sophomore forward PJ Washington, the team's leading scorer and rebounder this season, is entering the NBA draft, he announced on social media Tuesday.

Washington thanked his Kentucky coaches, teammates and fans for "helping a kid from Dallas see his dreams come true."

Go do your thing, PJ.

?✍??#DreamBIG pic.twitter.com/3WZXs5ix5x

— Kentucky Basketball (@KentuckyMBB) April 9, 2019

Washington averaged 15.2 points and 7.5 rebounds for the Wildcats during the regular season. He missed the first two games of the NCAA tournament with a sprained foot, but he returned to score 16 points in a Sweet 16 victory over Houston and had 28 points and 13 rebounds in an overtime loss to Auburn in the Elite 8.

He is ranked 15th overall in the ESPN 100 rankings for the NBA draft, which will be held June 20.

FRISCO, Texas -- It's an hour before the Dallas Mavericks are to play the Denver Nuggets on April 11, 2017. On the practice court inside the American Airlines Center, two teammates are having a 3-point shooting contest.

On this night, Tony Romo and Dirk Nowitzki are those teammates.

"Dirk said, 'We've got to warm up -- 3-point contest,'" the former Dallas Cowboys quarterback remembered. "I'm thinking, 'I'm a pretty good 3-point shooter. Let's do this. I got a chance. It's the only thing I can do well. I make a few and sure enough, I have a little lead. Dirk's like, 'All right, I'm down three. There's four balls left.' He kind of looks at me and smiles."

The first shot goes in. Then the second. Then the third.

"He hits the fourth one and I swear he gave me the Michael Jordan shrug from the NBA Finals, as if he's sorry," Romo said. "He said, 'I was thinking about letting you win, but decided not to.'"

Nowitzki is expected to play the final home game of his storied 21-year career against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday (8:30 p.m. ET).

Along with shooting hoops with Romo, here are more key connections between Nowitzki and the Cowboys:

Romo: Dirk warned of career ebbs, flows

As a senior at Burlington High School in Wiscsonsin, Romo was an All-Racine County basketball pick along with Caron Butler, who would go on to be one of Nowitzki's teammates in Dallas. Romo had the chance to play college basketball but opted for football. His love of basketball never waned, playing in serious games across Dallas during his time as Cowboys quarterback.

After announcing his retirement from the NFL, the Mavericks wanted to honor Romo and decided to make him a player for a day. He went through meetings and practice as well as the pregame shootaround and warm-ups. He even sat in for the team photo. League rules prevented Romo from getting in the game, but that did not stop Nowitzki from playfully yanking off the warm-up to try to get him in for a minute.

"I can remember going through tough stretches early in my career," Romo said, "and Dirk would not only send me a text, but we saw each other at dinner one night and he made a point of telling me, 'You're going to have ebbs and flows in your career. Sometimes it's going to go great. Sometimes not. There's going to be some teams that will be better and some not as good, but just keep working.' And he was dead right."

Garrett: The 7-footer is a focal point

Cowboys coach Jason Garrett was quarterback Troy Aikman's backup when Nowitzki arrived in Dallas in 1998. He remembered going to Reunion Arena and seeing the gangly German play.

"I enjoyed seeing him and Steve Nash play," Garrett said. "Two guys that just played the game at such a high level and just real professional. Smart players. Seeing those guys playing individually but then playing together was really special and fun to follow."

Garrett left for the New York Giants as a free agent after Nowitzki's second season and did not return year-round to Dallas until he was named the Cowboys' offensive coordinator in 2007.

"He's so skilled, and literally being 7-feet tall," Garrett said. "We've seen skillful players around the basket who were 6-11, 7 feet, north of 7 feet, but he played away from the basket, around the 3-point line."

Garrett remembers reading about the hours Nowitzki would put in with Holger Geschwindner, his personal coach, on his balance while shooting.

"In football you call it 'funny body throws,'" Garrett said. "He'd make so many funny body shots, but if you'd look at him, he was in complete control and balance."

As a coach, Garrett has developed a tight relationship with Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle over the years, and they have spent hours discussing Nowitzki's greatness, while comparing notes on how to get the best out of players of any skill set.

"He's one of those players for me when I go to a game, you just watch him," said Garrett, who attended the Mavs' home game last Friday with his wife, Brill. "My eyes are drawn to watch him do everything. You watch him run down the court, set up, create his shot, get himself in balance. Then coming back the other way defensively, communicating. He's just one of those guys you watch through the game just beyond when the ball is in his hands. There's a handful of guys in the NBA that have become the focal point of where your eyes go and he's one of them for me."

Witten: We have similar work ethics

Nowitzki was 20 when the Mavericks traded with the Milwaukee Bucks for the No. 9 overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft. Tight end Jason Witten was 20 when the Cowboys drafted him in the third round of the 2003 NFL draft.

In 15 years, Witten became the Cowboys' all-time leader in games played, games started, receptions and receiving yards. He played in 11 Pro Bowls in his first 15 seasons.

Folks marveled at his longevity, just as they marvel at Nowitzki's.

"That doesn't happen by accident," Witten said. "He embraced new teammates. He embraced new systems. He's done it all while still playing at this extremely high level, from early on in his career with Don [Nelson], then with Avery [Johnson]. He's just seen so many different things. The thing I respect most about him is you hear guys like Nash talk about how smart he is, Jason Kidd how smart he is. His basketball IQ was just off the charts. He's so much more than a 7-footer that could shoot. He never got bored with improving, never got bored with anything, and for any athlete, that's the blueprint. That's how you go have success."

When Witten held a retirement party last summer, Nowitzki attended. Over the years, they became friends, relaying their "secrets in the dirt," but also their philanthropic work that both do in and around Dallas.

"He just loves the work to get ready to play," Witten said. "Even to this day I think he still enjoys all the intricacies that go into him being successful. It's kind of similar, to me, with route running. There's an art to all of that. When you hear guys like Rick Carlisle talk about how diligent he was in that approach and in shooting mechanics, that's the secret."

Ellis: Dirk lasted longer than I did

Nowitzki's perspective on the Cowboys is interesting. He started playing for the Mavericks when the Triplets (Michael Irvin, Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith) were trying to recapture their Super Bowl magic with the Cowboys and is likely ending it as a new trio (Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott and Amari Cooper) try to bring the franchise back to Super Bowl relevancy.

The Cowboys' perspective on the sixth-leading scorer in NBA history is as interesting. Two months before the Mavericks traded for Nowitzki in 1998, the Cowboys selected defensive end Greg Ellis with the No. 8 overall pick of the NFL draft, famously passing on receiver Randy Moss.

In 11 seasons with the Cowboys, Ellis had 77 sacks. He led the team in sacks six times and was named to the Pro Bowl once.

"Well, he [Nowitzki] lasted a lot longer than I did," Ellis joked.

Ellis retired after the 2009 season with the Oakland Raiders. He's now 43 and producing movies and stage presentations. He played junior varsity basketball at North Carolina for Dean Smith and would practice against Vince Carter and Antawn Jamison, so he knows his basketball.

"I was 34 when I retired," Ellis said. "The reality of life in football especially is, 'OK, you're 34? Time to put you in a wheelchair.' But in the regular world, 'You're only 34?' It's like, wow. People way older than you look at you like you're a teenager."

A knee injury ended Ellis' career a year or so earlier than he expected. After 11 years, he reached all of his individual goals but admitted there were times he wanted to play again.

And now?

"I would rather take a chance playing a play on a basketball court then on a football field," Ellis said. "Maybe we can pre-arrange that they're going to run the ball to the other side where I can pursue at a nice steady pace."

Dallas has always been a football town with some of the most historical figures of the sport calling it home over the years, but Nowitzki has found himself alongside those greats in his 21 years with the Mavericks.

"Dirk Nowitzki is and will always be the Dallas Mavericks, the way we talk about the Roger Staubachs, Troy Aikmans, Michael Irvins, Emmitt Smiths and Bob Lillys," Romo said. "You just don't find in life somebody that you would argue is a top-10 player in the history of their sport -- and I can argue after getting to know him and his wife, Jessica, through the years -- that [he] might be better off the court. He's exemplified everything that Dallas and this community is about. He is genuine. He is real. He is caring.

"And he's 7-feet tall. Good luck finding that again."