Dirk Nowitzki To Make Final Mavericks Appearance At Jersey Retirement Ceremony

Fans of the Dallas Mavericks are reflecting on the admirable career of German NBA player Dirk Nowitzki ahead of his jersey retirement ceremony on January 5.

Nowitzki who has played in 21 seasons of the National Basketball Association, beginning with his first draft in 1998.

His jersey will be retired after his final game against the Golden State Warriors. 

In an emotional press conference ahead of the game and subsequent ceremony, Nowitzki got chocked up, saying:

“I’ve got to say I’ve had a little bit of time the last two-to-two and a half years to read some letters I have gotten or when I’m out on town, how many people have come up to me and said thank you for my services. So it’s special. Special, special,”

The 7-foot-tall German player has had one of the greatest careers in NBA history, and his jersey retirement will no doubt be a tear-jerker for long-time fans.

German Basketball Roots

If growing at an exceptional rate was not enough of a signal towards a basketball career, then being born into an athletic family was just the start for Nowitzki.

Nowitzki was born in Würzburg, Germany, to professional basketball player Helga and handball player Jörg-Werner Nowitzki in 1978.

His sister, Silke, is a local track and field champion and now works for the NBA in international television after becoming a player herself.

Tired of being deemed too tall to play handball, Nowitzki turned his attention towards the sport his mother was famous for.

The 15-year-old Nowitzki attracted the attention of former German basketballer Holger Geschwindner, who began coaching him one-on-one a couple of times a week.

Geschwindner’s training regime was rigorous – he made Nowitzki emphasize shooting and passing exercises, refusing to let Nowitzki partake in weigh training and tactical drills.

He also encouraged the young star to study literature and take up playing an instrument to ensure he developed a personality outside of basketball.

The unorthodox training routine paid off, and Nowitzki agreed to a full-time training schedule.

He joined the DJK Würzburg team in 1994, playing in Germany’s 2nd-tier level league in the South division. 

Nowitzki was initially trained by Pit Sahl, who neglected to play him as an inside-scoring center to utilize his shooting skills. 

The rookie player was benched after the team’s disappointing sixth place in the 1994-1995 Second Bundesliga season.

His grades at school took a massive hit, forcing him to turn his attention back towards education rather than work on his abilities as an athlete. 

In the next season, he established himself as a starter, soon becoming a double-digit scorer – with his 24-point-score leading Dirk Bauermann to say Nowitzki was the best German basketball player in the past decade.

His talent was noticed by players and fans abroad, particularly after the time Nowitzki spent in the Nike Hoop Heroes Tour, where he played against NBA legends Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippin.

In a tense 30-minute match, Nowitzki managed to dunk Barkley, causing the star to say:

 “The boy is a genius. If he wants to enter the NBA, he can call me.”

The 1998 NBA Drafts & The Mavericks

Nowitzki made his debut appearance in the 1998 NBA drafts, passing up multiple collegiate athletes offers to make his direct entrance in the NBA.

In the ninth pick, he was drafted by the Milwaukee Bucks and was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in a multi-team deal.

Nowitzki was the fourth German player in NBA history after being drafted. He was also the only Würzburg player to have made it to the NBA in the United States.

After a shaky start, the rookie managed to find his footing in the 1999-2000 season of the NBA.

On January 4, 2000, the Mavericks was sold to Internet billionaire Mark Cuban, who spent $280 million to improve the team.

The team was resurrected to its former glory through Cuban’s efforts, increasing franchise revenues to a whopping $100 million after a complete overhaul.

Nowitzki attributes Cuban’s business acumen for his personal improvement, believing he had to step up and prove he was worth being part of this resurrected team.

Although he improved on a personal level, the Mavericks missed the playoffs after an unremarkable 40-42 season.

This did not deter Nowitzki, who now had a point to prove to basketball enthusiasts worldwide.

In the 2000-2001 season, Nowitzki worked on improving his averages and became the first Maverick in the team’s history to be voted into the All-NBA squads.

With his 30 points across ten games, the German player was a significant factor in the Mavericks reaching the playoffs for the first time since 1990.

He became a franchise player after a rising career in 2004, making the finals for the first time the following year.

By that time, Nowitzki had achieved a record-making average of 26.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists during a single season.

This was not only his third 2000-point season, but his 26.6 point average was the highest by a European. 

Nowitzki’s Jersey Retirement

After a stellar career, Nowitzki decided that his career in the NBA would end after the 2018-2019 season.

He set the record for most seasons played with one team in December, breaking Kobe Bryant’s record of 20 seasons with the Lakers.

Nowitzki also tied the record when he became the fifth player to play in 21 seasons of the NBA.

On March 18, 2019, he became the sixth-highest scoring player of all time, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain’s infamous 31,419 points.

He announced his retirement after the team’s final home game and ended his career with 20 points and 10 rebounds in a loss to the Spurs. 

His jersey will be retired after the Maverick’s home game against the Warriors at 6:30 pm on January 5.

The ceremony will highlight his historic career, and Nowitzki will be joined by Cuban, coach Jason Kidd and NBA commissioner Adam Silver for the emotional tribute.

Nowitzki is hoping fans will be able to take home a piece of his own memorabilia, saying the event will have a museum-like atmosphere where items from his personal collection (like jerseys and keys) will be displayed.

“We were thinking how this night could also be special for obviously the fans and the Mavs came up with that idea if I have some stuff laying around the house that would be interesting,” he said in the press conference.

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