WATCH: Dirk Nowitzki humorously puts former NBA champion in chokehold on national TV

Dirk Nowitzki was feeling great when he put a former NBA champion and teammate in a chokehold on national television on Saturday. Nowitzki was at the American Airlines Center to watch the Dallas Mavericks face the OKC Thunder in Game 6 of the Western Conference semifinals.

In a video uploaded by NBA on X, ESPN's Dave Pasch and Richard Jefferson are doing some pregame analysis when an arm suddenly wrapped around Jefferson's neck. The camera zoomed out and it showed the former NBA MVP having his former teammate in a chokehold.

Jefferson had a good laugh at what his fellow one-time NBA champion did to him. Nowitzki was not finished there, as he also tried to wipe RJ's sweat or cover his shiny forehead.

Dirk Nowitzki and Richard Jefferson were teammates on the Dallas Mavericks during the 2014-15 NBA season.

Nowitzki was with Dallas his entire career, while Jefferson signed with the Mavericks as a free agent. He wore the No. 24 in Dallas and was the last player to wear it since the franchise retired Kobe Bryant's jersey after his death in 2020.

Jefferson averaged 5.8 points and 2.5 rebounds per game in Dallas and was mainly a role player on that team. The Mavericks made it to the NBA playoffs that season but were eliminated in the first round by the Houston Rockets in five games.

In the video below, Jefferson went to Nowitzki, who was sitting courtside before the game. The two dapped up and seemingly were good friends even though they were teammates for just one year.

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What is Richard Jefferson's favorite Dirk Nowitzki moment?

What is Richard Jefferson's favorite Dirk Nowitzki moment?

Dirk Nowitzki has had many iconic moments in his NBA career. When Nowitzki retired in 2019, ESPN's Richard Jefferson and Kendrick Perkins discussed their favorite from the career of one of the greatest players in league history.

Jefferson picked Nowitzki's and-one play during the 2006 Western Conference semifinals against the San Antonio Spurs. Nowitzki hit a layup despite being fouled by Manu Ginobili. It was one of the greatest moments of Nowitzki's career even though they lost the NBA Finals that same postseason.

I had the pleasure of playing with Dirk and just being a teammate of his for a year. But one of the plays that is so iconic for me is a play that wasn't a part of, but I had an opportunity to watch is this play right here. It was like I remember watching this game and thinking what is Manu doing," Jefferson said.

Dirk Nowitzki retired after the 2018-19 NBA season as an NBA champion, NBA MVP and NBA Finals MVP.

He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame last year. His No. 41 jersey has been retired by the Dallas Mavericks, and he also has a statue outside the American Airlines Center.