this is actually interesting - because Dirk was initially supposed to be a small forward when he was drafted. However, in his second year, Dallas's PF had a season ending injury and Dirk was the only other guy on the team tall enough to fill the position.

I think if Dirk had not actually played PF his influence that I argue for would be less. The case isn't that he is the first tall guy who can shoot (though that is part of it because is over 7'0), but more so that he is the first C/F to play outside in a dominant fashion.

Bird was certainly tall and could shoot threes, but he was a small forward. Likewise for Peja, Rashard Lewis and a few others. Boston still had Parish and McHale as traditional big men down low. The kings had Vlade and Weber. Sonics big men were less consistent, but still they had two big guys banging around down low. In that sense, all these players were tall small forwards.

Maybe said differently, there were certainly players who are 6'8+ who shot threes and played before or at the same time as Dirk, but he was the first player to show that you don't need two traditional bigs to win games.