Basketball Wiki
Don't have an account?
Register
Advertisement
Register
Basketball Wiki
Basketball Wiki
5,512
pages
in: Pages with reference errors, Pages using ISBN magic links, Born in 1978,
and 31 more

Dirk Nowitzki

Sign in to edit
Dirk Nowitzki
Dirk Nowitzki (2020)
Nowitzki speaking at the 2020 Laureus World Sports Awards in February 2020.
Dallas Mavericks
Position:  Special advisor
Personal information
Born:  June 19, 1978 (1978-06-19) (age 46)
 Würzburg, Germany
Listed height:  7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)
Listed weight:  245 lbs (111 kg)
Career information
NBA Draft:  1998 / Round: 1 / Pick: 9th
Selected by the Milwaukee Bucks
Position:  Power Forward / Center
Number:  41
Career history
As player:
As executive:
  • Dallas Mavericks (2021–present)
Career highlights and awards
Career statistics
Points: 31,560 (20.7 PPG)
Rebounds: 11,489 (7.5 RPG)
Assists: 3,651 (2.4 APG)
Steals: 1,210 (0.8 SPG)
Blocks: 1,281 (0.8 BPG)
Stats at NBA.com
Stats at Basketball–Reference.com
Basketball Hall of Fame (inducted in 2023)
Medals
Men's basketball
Representing Germany Flag Germany
World Cup
Olympic Bronze Medal Bronze 2002 Indianapolis
EuroBasket
Olympic Silver Medal Silver 2005 Serbia and Montenegro

Dirk Werner Nowitzki (born June 19, 1978) is a German former professional basketball player and basketball executive who is a special advisor for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Listed at 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m), he is widely regarded as one of the greatest Power Forwards of all time and is considered by many to be the greatest European player of all time. In 2021, he was selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. In 2023, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

An alumnus of the DJK Würzburg basketball club, Nowitzki was chosen as the ninth pick in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and was immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks where he played his entire 21–year NBA career. Nowitzki led the Mavericks to 15 NBA Playoff appearances (2001–2012; 2014–2016), including the franchise's first Finals appearance in 2006 and its first NBA championship in 2011 (both times against the Miami Heat). Known for his scoring ability, his versatility, his accurate outside shooting, and his trademark fadeaway jump shot, Nowitzki won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2007 and the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in 2011.

Nowitzki is the only player ever to play for a single NBA franchise for 21 seasons. He is a 14–time All–Star, a 12–time All–NBA Team member, the first European player to start in an All–Star Game, and the first European player to receive the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. Nowitzki is the highest–scoring foreign–born player in NBA history. He is the first Maverick voted onto an All–NBA Team and holds several all–time Mavericks franchise records. On December 10, 2012, he became the first non–American player to receive the Naismith Legacy Award. Following his retirement, Nowitzki stood sixth on the NBA all–time scoring list.

In international play, Nowitzki led the German national basketball team to a bronze medal in the 2002 FIBA World Championship and silver in EuroBasket 2005, and was the leading scorer and MVP in both tournaments. He is also the first German men's player to have his number retired, receiving this honor in September 2022.

Early years[]

Born in Würzburg, West Germany, Dirk Werner Nowitzki comes from an athletic family: his mother Helga Nowitzki (née Bredenbröcker) was a professional basketball player and his father Jörg–Werner was a handball player who represented Germany at the highest international level.[1] His older sister Silke Nowitzki, a local champion in track and field, also became a basketball player and now works for the NBA in International TV.[2]

Nowitzki was a very tall child; most of the time he dwarfed his peers by a foot or more.[1] He initially played handball and tennis. He managed to become a ranked junior tennis player in the German youth circuit, but soon grew tired of being called a "freak" for his height and eventually turned to basketball.[3] After joining the local DJK Würzburg, the 15–year–old attracted the attention of former German international basketball player Holger Geschwindner, who spotted his talent immediately and offered to coach him individually two to three times per week. After getting both the approval of Nowitzki and his parents, Geschwindner put his pupil through an unorthodox training scheme: he emphasized shooting and passing exercises, and shunned weight training and tactical drills, because he felt it was "unnecessary friction".[4] Furthermore, Geschwindner encouraged Nowitzki to play a musical instrument and read literature to make him a more complete personality.[4]

After a year, the coach was so impressed that he said to his pupil: "You must now decide whether you want to play against the best in the world or just stay a local hero in Germany. If you choose latter, we will stop training immediately, because nobody can prevent that anymore. But if you want to play against the best, we have to train on a daily basis." After pondering for two days, Nowitzki decided on the former. Geschwindner let him train seven days a week with DJK Würzburg players and future German internationals Robert Garrett, Marvin Willoughby and Demond Greene, and in the summer of 1994, the then 16–year–old Nowitzki made the DJK squad.[5]

Professional career[]

DJK Würzburg (1994–1998)[]

When Nowitzki joined the team, DJK played in Germany's second–tier level league, the Second Bundesliga, South Division. His first trainer was Pit Stahl, who played the tall teenager as an outside-scoring Forward rather than an inside–scoring Center to utilize his shooting skills.[6] In the 1994–95 Second Bundesliga season, ambitious DJK finished as a disappointing sixth of 12 teams; the rookie Nowitzki was often benched and struggled with bad school grades, which forced him to study rather than work on his game.[7] In the next 1995–96 Second Bundesliga season, Nowitzki established himself as a starter next to Finnish star Forward Martti Kuisma and soon became a regular double–digit scorer: after German national basketball coach Dirk Bauermann saw him score 24 points in a DJK game, he stated that "Dirk Nowitzki is the greatest German basketball talent of the last 10, maybe 15 years". DJK finished second in the South Division, but could not earn promotion after losing 86–62 in the deciding match versus BG Ludwigsburg: in that game, Nowitzki scored only eight points.[8]

In the 1996–97 Second Bundesliga season, the team's top scorer Kuisma left the team, and Holger Geschwindner replaced Pit Stahl as head coach. Filling Kuisma's void, Nowitzki averaged 19.4 points per game and led DJK again to second place after the regular season, but could not help his team gain promotion.[9] In the following 1997–98 Second Bundesliga season, Nowitzki finished his "Abitur" (German A-levels), but had to do his compulsory military service in the Bundeswehr (German Military) which lasted from September 1, 1997 to June 30, 1998; Nowitzki described this period as "a tough time at first, we had no privileges and had to participate in all the drills.. later [after finishing the tough "Grundausbildung", the most intensive initial part of the service] it was much more relaxed".[10] Concerning basketball, the 19-year old, who had grown to 6 ft 11 in (2.11 m) tall, Forward flourished further, leading DJK to a 36:4 point total (in Germany, a victory gives 2:0 points and a loss 0:2) and ending as leading scorer with 28.2 points per game. In the promotion playoffs, DJK finally broke its bane, finishing at first place with 14:2 points and earning promotion; Nowitzki scored 26 points in the deciding 95–88 win against Freiburg and was voted "German Basketballer of the Year" by the German BASKET magazine.[11]

Abroad, Nowitzki's progress did not go unnoticed. In 1996, FC Barcelona Bàsquet wanted to sign him, but Nowitzki refused to move before finishing his German A–levels.[12] A year later, the teenager participated in the Nike "Hoop Heroes Tour", where he played against NBA stars like Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen. In a 30–minute show match, Nowitzki outplayed Barkley and even dunked on him, causing the latter to exclaim: "The boy is a genius. If he wants to enter the NBA, he can call me."[13] On March 29, 1998, Nowitzki was chosen to play in the Nike Hoop Summit, one of the premier talent watches in U.S. men's basketball. In a match between the U.S. talents and the international talents, Nowitzki scored 33 points on 6–of–12 shooting, 14 rebounds, and 3 steals for the internationals and outplayed future US NBA stars Rashard Lewis and Al Harrington. He impressed with an array of quickness, ball handling, and shooting range, and from that moment on a multitude of European and NBA clubs wanted to recruit him.[14]

Dallas Mavericks (1998–2019)[]

Difficult start (1998–1999)[]

After leading DJK Würzburg to promotion and his A–levels and military service behind him, Nowitzki looked to the NBA for his future. Projected to be seventh pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, he passed up many college offers and leapt directly into the NBA as a then–still rare prep–to–pro player.[15] In particular Rick Pitino and Don Nelson, head coaches of the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks respectively, were highly interested in acquiring him. After a 45-minute private workout with Pitino, where Nowitzki showcased his versatile shooting, rebounding, and passing skills, the Boston coach immediately compared him to Celtics legend Larry Bird; Pitino assured Nowitzki that he would draft him with the Celtics' first–round draft pick at number ten.[16]

However, Pitino's plan was foiled by Nelson, whose team had the sixth pick. Nelson worked out draft day deals with the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns: the Mavericks wanted Nowitzki and Suns reserve Point Guard Steve Nash; the Bucks desired muscular Forward Robert Traylor, who was projected to be drafted before Nowitzki; and the Suns had set their sights on Forward Pat Garrity, who was projected as a low first round pick. In the draft, the Mavericks drafted Traylor with their sixth pick, and the Bucks selected Nowitzki with their ninth and Garrity with their nineteenth pick. The Mavericks then traded Traylor to the Bucks for Nowitzki and Garrity, and they in return traded the latter to Phoenix for Nash.

In retrospect, Don Nelson had an outstanding trade instinct, essentially trading future career underachievers Traylor and Garrity for two future NBA MVPs, Nowitzki and Nash; in addition, both new recruits became best friends.[16] Nowitzki became only the fourth German player in NBA history, following pivots Uwe Blab and Christian Welp and All–Star swingman Detlef Schrempf, who was a 35–year old veteran player of the Portland Trail Blazers when his young compatriot arrived.[15] Nowitzki finished his DJK career as the only Würzburg player to have ever made the jump into the NBA.[17]

In Dallas, Nowitzki joined a franchise which had last made the playoffs in 1990. Shooting Guard Michael Finley captained the squad, supported by 7–foot–6 Center Shawn Bradley, once a number two draft pick, and team scoring leader Cedric Ceballos, an ex–Laker Forward. Nowitzki experienced a rocky start: prior to the 1998–99 NBA season, NBA commissioner David Stern wanted to introduce a salary cap, causing the NBA players' union to declare a strike, the combination putting the entire season in jeopardy. In limbo, Nowitzki returned to DJK Würzburg and played thirteen games before both sides worked out a late compromise that resulted in a shortened 1998–1999 schedule of only 50 instead of 82 regular season games.[18]

When the season finally started, Nowitzki struggled. Played as a Power Forward by coach Don Nelson, the lanky 20–year old felt overpowered by the more athletic NBA Forwards, was intimidated by the expectations as a number nine pick, and played bad defense, causing hecklers to taunt him as "Irk Nowitzki", omitting the "D" which stands for "defense" in basketball slang.[19] He only averaged 8.2 points and 3.4 rebounds in 20.4 minutes of playing time.[20] Looking back, Nowitzki said: "I was so frustrated I even contemplated going back to Germany... [the jump from Second Bundesliga to the NBA] was like jumping out of an airplane hoping the parachute would somehow open." The Mavericks only won 19 of their 50 games and missed the playoffs,[21] although Nowitzki completed the season with eight double–digit scoring games out of the last twelve.[22]

Mark Cuban and the "Big Three" Era (1999–2004)[]

1999–2000 season: Improving as a sophomore[]

In the 1999–2000 NBA season, Don Nelson wanted to use Nowitzki as a Point Forward to make use of his passing skills.[23] One of the most important moves was made outside the hardwood: until then, the owner of the Mavericks was Ross Perot, Jr., who had bought the franchise for $125 million, but had no plans of investing in players and admitted he knew little of basketball.[24] On January 4, 2000, he sold the Mavericks to Internet billionaire Mark Cuban for $280 million. Cuban quickly invested into the Mavericks and restructured the franchise, attending every game at the sidelines, buying the team a $46 million six–star Boeing 757 for traveling, and increasing franchise revenues to over $100 million. Nowitzki lauded Cuban: "He created the perfect environment... we only have to go out and win."[25] As a result of Nelson's tutelage, Cuban's improvements and his own progress, Nowitzki significantly improved his averages. The sophomore now scored 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game in 35.8 minutes,[20] had nine double–double games, and scored a career–high 32 points twice.[22] He was voted runner–up in the NBA Most Improved Player Award behind Darrel Armstrong, and made it into the NBA All–Star Sophomore squad along with peers Paul Pierce and Vince Carter.[22] In the traditional Rookie–Sophomore match, he scored 17 points, six rebounds, and four assists in an overtime loss against the rookie team led by Steve Francis and Lamar Odom.[26] The seven foot tall Nowitzki also was chosen for the NBA All–Star Three Point Shootout, becoming the tallest player ever to participate. After draining 15 three point shots in a row in the first shootout, he entered the final round, where he only was beaten by Jeff Hornacek.[26] While he improved on an individual level, the Mavericks missed the playoffs after a mediocre 40–42 season.[26]

2000–01 season: First All–NBA and playoff appearances[]

In the 2000–01 season, Nowitzki further improved his averages, recording 21.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game.[20] Now playing the Power Forward position, he became the second player in NBA history after Robert Horry to score 100 three–pointers and 100 blocks in the regular season, registering respectively 151 and 101 of them.[22] As a sign of his growing importance, he joined team captain Finley as only one of two Mavericks to play and start in all 82 games and had 10 games in which he scored at least 30 points.[22] Nowitzki became the first Maverick ever to be voted into the All–NBA squads, making the Third Team.[22] In addition, his best friend Nash became a valuable Point Guard, and with Finley scoring more than ever, pundits were calling this trio the "Big Three" of the Mavericks.

Posting a 53–29 record in the regular season,[27] the Mavericks reached the playoffs for the first time since 1990.[28] As the fifth seed, they were paired against the Utah Jazz of all–time assist leader John Stockton and second all–time leading scorer Karl Malone. After losing the first two games, Nowitzki scored back–to–back 33 points in Games 3 and 4 and help to tie the series.[29] In Game 5, the Mavericks trailed the entire game until Calvin Booth drained a jump shot which put them ahead 84–83 with 9.8 seconds to go. Jazz players Bryon Russell and Malone missed last–second shots and the Mavericks won, setting up a meeting with Texas rivals San Antonio Spurs of All–Star Power Forward Tim Duncan.[29] The Mavericks lost their first three games, and Nowitzki fell ill with flu and later lost a tooth after a collision with Spurs Guard Terry Porter. After a Game 4 win, Nowitzki scored 42 points and 18 rebounds in Game 5, but could not prevent a deciding 87–105 loss.[30] While Sports Illustrated pointed out that the Mavericks shot badly during Game 5, Nowitzki was lauded for scoring his playoff career–high 42 points. The German said: "It's a disappointment to end the season on a blowout."[31]

2001–02 season: First All–Star selection[]

Prior to the 2001–02 season, Nowitzki signed a six–year, $90 million contract extension, which made him the second–highest paid German athlete after Formula One champion Michael Schumacher.[32] He continued to improve, now averaging 23.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game, was voted into the All–NBA Second Team and into his first All–Star Game.[20] He also had 13 games with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds, third behind Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan.[22] Powered by new recruit Nick Van Exel, who became a high–scoring sixth man, the Mavericks "Big Three" convincingly made the playoffs with a 57–25 record.[33]

In the first round, they swept Kevin Garnett and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoffs 3–0: Nowitzki outscored Garnett with 33.3 points per game versus 24.0.[34] In the second round, the Mavericks met the Sacramento Kings with rival Power Forward Chris Webber. After splitting the first two games, Kings coach Rick Adelman changed his defensive scheme: before, Webber had defended Nowitzki one–on–one, but now, the Kings coach ordered his smaller, but quicker player Hedo Turkoglu to cover the German. Turkoglu should use his agility to play Nowitzki tightly, and if the taller Maverick tried to post up Turkoglu, Webber should double team Nowitzki.[35] In Game 3 in Dallas, the Mavericks lost 119–125; Nowitzki scored only 19 points and said: "I simply could not pass Turkoglu, and if I did, I ran into a double team and committed too many turnovers."[35] In Game 4, more frustration awaited the German: the Mavericks gave away a 14–point lead, although the entire Kings starting frontcourt of Center Vlade Divac and Power Forward Chris Webber (both fouled out) and Small Forward Peja Stojakovic (injury) was eliminated in the closing stages of the game. Nowitzki missed two potentially game deciding jump shots, and the Mavericks lost 113–115 at home. In Game 5, the demoralized Texans were no match for the spirited Kings, lost 101–114 and were eliminated again.[36] Among others, nba.com remarked that the Kings defended better than the Mavericks:[37] in those five games, the statisticians counted 115 Sacramento layups against the Mavericks, meaning the Kings averaged 23 uncontested baskets (i.e. 46 easy points) per game.[38] However, Nowitzki received a consolation award: the Gazzetta dello Sport voted him as "European Basketballer of the Year", his 104 votes lifting him over second–placed Dejan Bodiroga (54) and Stojakovic (50).[39]

2002–03 season: First Western Conference Finals appearance[]

Before the 2002–03 season, Don Nelson and Mark Cuban put more emphasis on defense in the training drills, specializing in a zone defense anchored by prolific shotblockers Raef LaFrentz and Shawn Bradley. The Mavericks won their first 11 games, and Finley, Nash, and Nowitzki were voted "Western Conference Players of the Month" in November 2002.[40] In that season, Nowitzki lifted his averages again, now scoring 25.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game.[20] In addition, the German had 41 double–double games, the seventh–highest figure that season.[22] As a reward, he was voted into the All–Star Game and the All–NBA Second Team again,[20] and was also runner–up in the "German Athlete of the Year" election, only losing to ski jumper Sven Hannawald.[41] He led the Mavericks to a franchise–high 60–22 record, which earned them the third seed: as a result, the Mavericks had to play sixth seed Portland Trail Blazers in the 2003 NBA Playoffs.[42] Now playing in a best–of–seven series instead of the former best–of–five, Dallas quickly won the first three games, but then the Mavericks completely lost their rhythm and lost the next three matches. In Game 7, Portland held the game close, but 90 seconds before the end, Nowitzki hit a clutch three–point shot, and the game ended 107–95 for the Mavericks. "This was the most important basket of my career", he later said, "I was not prepared to go on vacation that early."[43] He later added in an ESPN interview: "We had to be more physical in the paint and rebound the ball. We worked hard all season to get the home–court advantage and we used that advantage today."[44] In the next round, the Mavericks met the Kings again. After losing the first game at home with 113–124, Nowitzki (25 points) and veteran sixth man Van Exel (36) led Dallas to a spectacular 132–110 Game 2 win in which the Mavericks scored 83 points in the first half.[43] Helped by the fact that Kings star Forward Chris Webber injured his meniscus, Nowitzki and Van Exel led the Mavericks to a 141–137 overtime win in Game 3, before dropping Game 4 with 83–99, where Nowitzki only scored 11 points and was ejected after angrily kicking over a load of towels.[43] After splitting the next two games, Nowitzki delivered a clutch performance in Game 7, scoring 30 points, grabbing 19 rebounds and playing strong defense, and led the Mavericks to a series–deciding 112–99 win.[43] ESPN lauded Nowitzki as "Big D", and after again winning a Game 7, the German added: "We've really learned how to close games out."[45]

In the Western Conference Finals, the Mavericks met the San Antonio Spurs of Tim Duncan again. In Game 1 in San Antonio, Nowitzki scored 38 points on Duncan and led his team to a 113–110 win. In Game 2, Duncan quickly put Nowitzki in foul trouble, and the Spurs equalised the series with a 132–110 win. In Game 3, fate struck as Nowitzki went up for a rebound and Spurs guard Manu Ginóbili collided with his knee, forcing him out of the series: without their top scorer, the Mavericks still fought valiantly and trailed 2–3, before Spurs Guard Steve Kerr nailed a buzzer beater in Game 6 to end the series.[46] Don Nelson later commented: "We were playing so well for so long and the bottom just dropped out... We went cold at the wrong time."[47] Nowitzki only took little consolation in the fact that he again was voted "European Basketballer of the Year"[46] and was named "Best European Basketballer" in a general survey of the NBA general managers.[22]

2003–04 season[]

In the 2003–04 season, Mark Cuban and Don Nelson decided to add more offensive wing players to their squad. As a result, the Mavericks acquired two All–Star Forwards, namely Golden State Warriors All–Star Forward Antawn Jamison (for role players Danny Fortson, Jiri Welsch, and Chris Mills) and Antoine Walker (Boston Celtics) who came for center Raef LaFrentz. Basketball experts were wary about latter trade, because it sent away the Mavericks starting Center; they argued it left a hole in the middle that the aging, injury–prone backup pivot Shawn Bradley could not fill anymore.[48] Unable to trade for a new Center, Don Nelson decided to start the prolific rebounder Nowitzki at pivot, put Walker on Nowitzki's usual power forward spot and played Jamison as a high–scoring sixth man.[49] To cope with his more physical role, Nowitzki put on 20 lb (9.1 kg) of muscle mass over summer, sacrificed part of his agility, and put more emphasis on defense rather than scoring:[50] as a result, his averages fell for the first time in his career, dropping to 21.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game,[20] but he was still the Mavericks leader in scoring, rebounding, steals (1.2 spg), and blocks (1.35 bpg).[22] These figures earned him nominations for the All–Star Game and the All–NBA Third Team.[20] Compiling a 52–30 record, the Mavericks met their familiar rivals Sacramento Kings again, but were eliminated in just five games.[51]

Franchise player (2004–2010)[]

2004–05 season: First All–NBA First Team selection[]

Dirk nowitzki mavs

Nowitzki (#41) was the face of the Mavericks franchise from 2004 to 2019.

Before the 2004–05 NBA season, the Mavericks were re–tooled again. Defensive Center Erick Dampier was acquired from the Golden State Warriors, but Nowitzki's close friend Steve Nash left Dallas and returned to the Phoenix Suns as a free agent. During the season, long–time head coach Don Nelson resigned, and his assistant Avery Johnson took on coaching duties. In the midst of these changes, Nowitzki stepped up his game and averaged 26.1 points a game, a career–high, 9.7 rebounds, and his 1.5 blocks and 3.1 assists were also career numbers.[20] In addition, Nowitzki scored at least 10 points in every game and was only one of four players who registered at least 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks per game.[22] On December 2, 2004, Nowitzki scored 53 points in an overtime win against the Houston Rockets, a career best.[22] As a reward, Nowitzki was voted to the All–NBA First Team for the first time.[20] He also placed third in the league's MVP voting, behind Nash and Shaquille O'Neal. By being elected to the All–NBA First Team, Nowitzki became the first player who did not attend a United States high school or college to be on the All–NBA First Team.

However, the Mavericks had a subpar 2005 NBA Playoffs campaign. In the first round, Dallas met the Houston Rockets of two–time scoring champion Tracy McGrady and 7'6" Center Yao Ming, and Nowitzki was expected to average high figures against unheralded forward Ryan Bowen: nba.com described Bowen as "overmatched" versus the German.[52] Instead, Bowen limited Nowitzki to just 21 points in Game 1[52] and 26 points in Game 2, where the latter only hit 8 of 26 shots from the field.[53] The Rockets took a 2–0 lead before the Mavericks won three games in a row. After losing Game 6, Dallas won Game 7 convincingly and won the series even though Nowitzki struggled with his shooting.[54] In the Western Conference Semifinals, the Mavericks met the Phoenix Suns, the new club of Nash. They split the first four games, before the Suns won the last two games. In Game 6, which the Mavericks lost in overtime, Nowitzki was again not at his best: he scored 28 points, but also sank only 9 of his 25 field goal attempts;[55] in addition, he was visibly irritated, repeatedly shouting at his team mates and missing all his five shots in overtime.[56]

2005–06 season: First NBA Finals appearance[]

Prior to the 2005–06 NBA season, veteran Mavericks captain Michael Finley was waived over the summer, and now Nowitzki was the last player remaining from the Mavericks' "Big Three" of Nash, Finley, and himself. Nowitzki blossomed as the sole franchise player, averaging 26.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists during the season. Not only was this his third 2,000–point season, but his scoring average of 26.6 points was highest ever by a European.[20] He improved his shooting percentage, setting personal season records in field goals (48.0%), three–point shots (40.6%), and free throws (90.1%).[20] During the 2006 All–Star Weekend in Houston, Nowitzki scored 18 points to defeat Seattle SuperSonics Guard Ray Allen and Washington Wizards Guard Gilbert Arenas in the Three–Point Shootout Contest.[57]

Nowitzki paced the Mavericks to a 60–win season. The team finished with the third–best record in the league, behind the defending champion San Antonio Spurs and defending Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons.[58] As in the 2004–05 season, he finished third in the league's MVP voting, this time behind Nash and LeBron James. He was again elected to the first team All–NBA squad.[20] Nowitzki confirmed his superstar status during the playoffs as he averaged 27.0 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists.[20] The Mavericks swept the Memphis Grizzlies with 4–0, with Nowitzki's most spectacular play being a clutch three–point shot in the closing seconds of Game 3 which tied the game and forced overtime. In the Western Conference Semifinals, the Mavericks played against the San Antonio Spurs again. After splitting the first six games, the Mavericks took a 20–point lead in Game 7 before Spur Manu Ginóbili broke a tie at 101 by hitting a clutch three–point shot with 30 seconds left. On the next play, Nowitzki completed a three point play (with Ginobili ironically committing the foul which led to the bonus free throw) which tied the game at 104. In the end, the Mavericks won 119–111, and Nowitzki ended the game with 37 points and 15 rebounds.[59] Nowitzki commented: "I don't know how the ball went in. Manu hit my hand. It was a lucky bounce."[59]

The Mavericks advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they would again meet Nash and the Phoenix Suns. Nowitzki scored 50 points to lead the Mavericks to a victory in the crucial Game 5 with the series tied 2–2; the Mavericks would go on to win in six games and face the Miami Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals. A content Nowitzki commented: "We've been a good road team all season long, we believed in each other. We went through some ups and downs this season, but the playoffs is all about showing heart and playing together."[60] Of Nowitzki's performance, ESPN columnist Bill Simmons would remark, "Dirk is playing at a higher level than any forward since Bird."[61] The Mavericks took an early 2–0 lead, but then gave away a late 15–point lead in a Game 3 loss[62] and finally fell to a scoring onslaught by Heat Finals MVP Dwyane Wade: Wade scored at least 36 points in the next four games, which the Heat all won. Nowitzki only made 20 of his last 55 shots in the final 3 games as the Mavericks lost the Finals series 4–2 to the Heat. The German was criticized by ESPN as "clearly... not as his best this series" and remarked: "That was a tough loss (in Game 3) and that really changed the whole momentum of the series... After that, they got confidence. They played a lot better afterwards".[63]

2006–07 season: NBA MVP, franchise record in wins, and playoff disappointment[]

The 2006–07 season was to be the one Nowitzki would be named the league's Most Valuable Player. He recorded averages of 24.6 points on .502 shooting, 8.9 rebounds and a career–high 3.4 assists[20] and led the Mavericks to a franchise–high 67 wins, which meant Dallas earned the first seed of the 2007 NBA Playoffs.[64] He averaged 50% from the field, 40% for three–pointers, and 90% from the free–throw line, becoming (at the time) only the fifth player in NBA history to join the 50–40–90 club. Nowitzki was touted as the overwhelming favorite for the Most Valuable Player Award and was expected to lead the Mavericks to an easy win against the eighth seed Golden State Warriors, despite the Warriors having won all three regular–season meetings against Dallas. However, the Mavericks ended up losing to the Warriors in six games, marking the first time a #8 seed has beaten the #1 in a best of seven series in NBA history.[65] In the clinching Game 6, Nowitzki shot just 2–13 from the field for only eight points.[65] Defended by Stephen Jackson, Nowitzki averaged nearly five points less than his regular season average in that series and shot only 38.3% from the field as compared to 50.2% during the regular season.[20] He described this loss as a low point in his career: "This series, I couldn't put my stamp on it the way I wanted to. That's why I'm very disappointed."[66] In spite of this historic playoffs loss, Nowitzki was named the NBA's regular season Most Valuable Player and beat his friend and back–to–back NBA MVP Nash with more than 100 votes. He also became the first European–born player in NBA history to receive the honor.[67]

2007–08 season: First triple–double[]

Dirkn

Nowitzki in 2008.

The 2007–08 campaign saw another first–round playoffs exit for Nowitzki and his Mavericks. Despite a mid–season blockbuster trade that sent veteran NBA All–Star Jason Kidd to Dallas, the Mavericks could only finish seventh in a highly competitive Western Conference.[68] In the playoffs, they faced rising starlet Chris Paul's New Orleans Hornets, and were eliminated in five games.[68] The playoff loss led to the firing of Avery Johnson as head coach and the eventual hiring of Rick Carlisle. The only positive highlights that season for the German were that he notched his first career triple–double against the Milwaukee Bucks February 6, 2008, finishing with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and a career–high 12 assists; then, on March 8, 2008, with 34 points, he surpassed Rolando Blackman with his 16,644th point to become the all–time points leader for the Mavericks.[69]

2008–09 season: Playoff upset[]

NowitzkiWizards1

Nowitzki shoots his fade-away jump shot in 2008.

The 2008–09 NBA season saw Nowitzki finish with averages of 25.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. He was fourth in the league in scoring, and garnered his fourth All–NBA First Team selection. He also made the 2009 All–Star Game, his eighth appearance. Nowitzki led Dallas to a tight finish towards the playoffs, finishing 50–32 for the season (6th in the West), after a slow 2–7 start. In the playoffs, the German led Dallas to an upset win over long–time rival San Antonio (the third seed), winning the first–round series, 4–1. The Mavericks, however, fell short against the Denver Nuggets, 4–1, in the second round, with Nowitzki averaging 34.4 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 4 assists in the series.

2009–10 season: 20,000 points[]

DirkNowitzki

Nowitzki at the free–throw line in October 2009.

The Mavericks finished the 2009–10 NBA season as the second seed for the 2010 NBA Playoffs. Notable additions to the squad were multiple All–Stars Shawn Marion and Caron Butler, with the latter coming in the second half of the season. On January 13, 2010, Nowitzki became the 34th player in NBA history—and the first European—to hit the 20,000-point milestone, while ending the regular season with averages of 25 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1 block. He was selected to the 2010 All–Star Game, his ninth appearance. The Mavericks faced off against San Antonio once more in the first round of the playoffs, but for the third time in four seasons, they failed to progress to the next round. Nowitzki became a free agent after the season, but signed a four–year, $80 million deal to remain in Dallas.

Championship season (2010–2011)[]

Nowitzki-v-wizards1

Nowitzki posting up Rashard Lewis in 2011.

Prior to the 2010–11 season, the Mavericks traded for Center Tyson Chandler. Nowitzki was injured in the middle of the season, but finished the regular season with averages of 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Despite missing nine games, Nowitzki was selected to the All–Star Game for the tenth time. The Mavericks defeated the Portland Trail Blazers in the first round of the playoffs in six games and swept the two–time defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers in the Conference Semifinals. In the Conference Finals, they faced the Oklahoma City Thunder and their All–NBA duo of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. In Game 1, Nowitzki scored 48 points and set an NBA record of 24 consecutive free throws made in a game as well as a record for most free throws in a game without a miss. In Game 4, with Dallas leading the series 2–1, Nowitzki scored 40 points to rally his team from a 99–84 fourth-quarter deficit to a 112–105 overtime victory. Dallas won the Western Conference title in Game Five, and advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2006.

In the Finals, Dallas once again faced the Miami Heat, which had acquired All–Stars LeBron James and Chris Bosh before the season began. During a Game 1 loss in Miami, Nowitzki tore a tendon in his left middle finger; however, MRIs were negative, and Nowitzki vowed that the injury would not be a factor. In Game 2, he led a Dallas rally from an 88–73 fourth–quarter deficit, making a driving left–handed layup over Bosh to tie the series at 1. Miami took a 2–1 series lead after Nowitzki missed a potential game–tying shot at the end of Game 3. Despite carrying a 101 °F (38 °C) fever in Game 4, he hit the winning basket to tie the series yet again at 2, evoking comparisons to Michael Jordan's "Flu Game" against the Utah Jazz in the 1997 NBA Finals. Dallas went on to win the next two games, with Nowitzki scoring 10 fourth–quarter points in the series–clinching game in Miami. The championship was the first in the history of the franchise. Nowitzki was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.

Post–championship and final years (2011–2019)[]

2011–12 season: Naismith Legacy Award[]

As Dallas celebrated their title, the NBA was in a lockout that ended on December 8, 2011. The defending champions lost core players, such as DeShawn Stevenson, J.J. Barea, Peja Stojaković, and Tyson Chandler, while adding Lamar Odom, Delonte West, and veteran All–Star and Nowitzki's 1998 fellow draftee Vince Carter in free agency. The Mavericks played only two preseason games, which led to a slow start for Nowitzki. Nowitzki made his 11th straight All–Star Game appearance in Orlando. Nowitzki led his team in scoring 45 times during the season. Nowitzki's streak of 11 seasons with 1,500 points came to an end after scoring 1,342 in the shortened NBA season. Dallas clinched the seventh spot in the West, and were matched against the Oklahoma City Thunder (the team that Dallas defeated in last year's Western Conference Finals) in the 2012 NBA Playoffs. The eventual Conference champion swept the Mavericks in four games.

2012–13 season: Surgery and missing playoffs[]

Dirk Nowitzki 2013

Nowitzki in 2013.

Before the season, Jason Kidd and Jason Terry left the Mavericks in free agency. Nowitzki underwent knee surgery in October 2012 and missed the first 27 games of the season. He returned on December 23, 2012, in a game against San Antonio. In January 2013, Nowitzki and some of his teammates made a pact not to shave their beards until the team reached .500. They were often called "The Beard Bros." On April 14, 2013, after a fadeaway jumper in a game against the New Orleans Hornets, Nowitzki became the 17th player in NBA history to score 25,000 points. The Mavs went on to win the game and climbed back to .500 with a 40–40 record, and Nowitzki shaved his beard. However, the Mavericks missed the playoffs for the first time since Nowitzki's second season, ending their 12–year playoff streak.

2013–14 season: Magic Johnson Award[]

On January 29, 2014, Nowitzki scored his 26,000th point in a 115–117 loss to the Houston Rockets. In 35 minutes of play, he recorded 38 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 assists. On March 12, 2014, in a 108–101 victory over the Utah Jazz, Nowitzki finished the game with 31 points and passed John Havlicek on the NBA scoring list with 26,426 points. On April 8, 2014, Nowitzki scored his 26,712th point, passing Oscar Robertson to move to the 10th position on the all–time scoring list. Nowitzki led the Mavericks back to the playoffs where they faced their in–state rival San Antonio Spurs in the first round. Dallas surprisingly pushed the series to seven games, (despite being swept by the Spurs in the regular season for the second consecutive season) but lost to the Spurs who went on to win the NBA championship against the two–time defending champion Miami Heat (the team that the Mavericks faced in the 2006 and 2011 Finals, winning in the latter) in five games.

2014–15 season: 10,000 rebounds[]

On July 15, 2014, Nowitzki re–signed with the Mavericks to a reported three–year, $25 million contract. He was also reunited with former championship teammate Tyson Chandler, who was traded to Dallas after a three–year stint with the New York Knicks. However, longtime teammates Shawn Marion and Brendan Haywood signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers before the season.

On November 11, 2014, Nowitzki scored 23 points to surpass Hakeem Olajuwon as the highest–scoring player born outside the United States, as the Mavericks came from 24 points down to defeat the Sacramento Kings, 106–98. Nowitzki hit a jumper from just inside the three–point line early in the fourth quarter to pass Olajuwon at No. 9, and he finished the night at 26,953 career points. Six days later, Nowitzki became the fourth player in NBA history to eclipse 27,000 career points with the same franchise, joining Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, and Kobe Bryant. On December 26 against the Los Angeles Lakers, Nowitzki passed Elvin Hayes for eighth place on the NBA's all–time scoring list. He went on to pass Moses Malone for seventh place on the NBA's all–time scoring list on January 5, 2015 in a 96–88 overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets. He recorded his 10,000th career rebound on March 24 against the defending champion San Antonio Spurs, and scored his 28,000th career point on April 1 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Mavericks finished the regular season as the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference with a record of 50–32. They faced the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs and lost the series in five games.

2015–16 season: Final playoff appearance[]

On November 11, 2015, Nowitzki scored a season–high 31 points in a 118–108 win over the Los Angeles Clippers. He also grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds and passed former teammate Shawn Marion for 15th on the all–time career rebounding list. On December 23, Nowitzki moved past Shaquille O'Neal into sixth place on the NBA's career scoring list, then made the go–ahead basket with 19.2 seconds left in overtime to help the Mavericks defeat the Brooklyn Nets, 119–118. On February 21, he scored 18 points against the Philadelphia 76ers, becoming the sixth player in NBA history to reach 29,000 career points. On March 20, he set a new season high with 40 points in a 132–120 overtime win over the Portland Trail Blazers. His 20th career 40–point game was his first since January 2014, and the first by a 37–year–old since Karl Malone in 2000–01.

In Game 4 of the Mavericks' first–round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Nowitzki passed Elgin Baylor (3,623 points) for 15th on the NBA's career playoff scoring list. The Mavericks lost the series four games to one.

2016–17 season: NBA Teammate of the Year and 30,000 points[]

On July 27, 2016, Nowitzki re–signed with the Mavericks. Nowitzki missed several games early in the season with Achilles tendon problems. On March 7, 2017, in a 122–111 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, Nowitzki became the sixth player in NBA history to score 30,000 regular–season points. He also became the first international player to reach the milestone and one of the only three to score all 30,000–plus with one team—the others being Karl Malone (Utah) and Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers). The Mavericks finished the season with a 33–49 record and missed the NBA Playoffs.

Following the 2016–17 season, Nowitzki exercised his player option to become a free agent; this move allowed the Mavericks to re–sign him with less money and be able to pursue other free agents.

2017–18 season: Season–ending surgery[]

On July 6, 2017, Nowitzki re–signed with the Mavericks on a two–year, $10 million contract (with a team option on the second year). On February 5, 2018, in a 104–101 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Nowitzki became the sixth player in NBA history to reach 50,000 career minutes. On February 28, 2018, in a 111–110 overtime loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, Nowitzki reached 31,000 career points. On March 17, 2018, in a 114–106 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, Nowitzki played in his 1,463rd game, moving past Kevin Garnett into fifth place in the NBA career list. He had season–ending ankle surgery on April 5 after appearing in 77 of the season's first 78 games. The Mavericks finished the season with a 24–58 record and missed the NBA Playoffs for the second straight year.

2018–19 season: Final season[]

On July 23, 2018, Nowitzki re–signed with the Mavericks for the 2018–19 season. With his season debut on December 13, 2018 against the Phoenix Suns, he set the NBA record for the most seasons played with the same team (21), breaking a tie with Kobe Bryant, who spent 20 seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers after retiring in 2016. He also became the fifth player in NBA history to play 21 seasons, tying an NBA record. Nowitzki was named to his 14th and final All–Star Game as a special team roster addition. On March 18, 2019, Nowitzki became the sixth–highest scoring player of all time, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain's 31,419 points in a 129–125 overtime loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. The Mavericks finished the season with a 33–49 record and missed the playoffs for the third consecutive year. In his team's final home game of the season, a 120–109 victory over the Suns on April 9, Nowitzki scored 30 points, and announced his retirement in an emotional ceremony during which Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Shawn Kemp, Scottie Pippen, and Detlef Schrempf appeared on the court to give laudatory speeches for Nowitzki. One day later, he played his final NBA game, recording a double–double with 20 points and 10 rebounds in a 105–94 loss to the San Antonio Spurs.

National team career[]

Dirk Nowitzki

Nowitzki played for the German national basketball team from 1997 to 2015.

Nowitzki has been playing for the German national basketball team since the EuroBasket 1999. In his debut tournament, the 21–year old rookie established himself as the main German scorer, but could not prevent that Germany only ended seventh and failed to qualify for the 2000 Olympic Games.[70] In the EuroBasket 2001, Nowitzki was top scorer with 28.7 points per game, and narrowly lost the MVP vote to Serbian player Peja Stojaković. Germany reached the semi–finals and were close to beating host nation Turkey, but down by three, Hedo Turkoglu hit a three–point buzzer beater, and the Turks eventually won in overtime.[71] Germany then lost 90–99 against Spain, and did not win a medal. However, with averages of 28.7 points and 9.1 rebounds, Nowitzki led the tournament in both statistics, and was voted to the All–Star team.[72] Back home, the German basketball team attracted up to 3.7 million television viewers, a record in German basketball history.[71]

Nowitzki finally earned his first medal when he led Germany to a bronze medal in the 2002 FIBA World Championship. In the quarter-finals against the Pau Gasol–led Spain, Spain led 52–46 after three quarters, but then Nowitzki scored 10 points in the last quarter and led Germany to a 70–62 win.[73] In the semi–finals, his team played against the Argentinian squad of 2000 Olympic Games MVP Manu Ginóbili, but despite leading 74–69 four minutes from the end and despite Argentina losing Ginobili to a foot injury, the South Americans won 86–80.[73] However, the Germans won 117–94 against New Zealand in the consolation finals and won bronze, and Nowitzki, as the tournament's top scorer, (24.0 ppg) was elected the tournament MVP. Back in Germany, over four million television viewers followed the games, an all–time record in German basketball history.[73]

The EuroBasket 2003 proved to be a major disappointment for Nowitzki and his German squad. In a preparation game, he suffered a foot injury after a collision with French player Florent Pietrus; as a result, Nowitzki played inconsistently and was also often target of hard fouls.[74] In the decisive second round match against Italy (only the winner was allowed to play the medal round), Germany lost 86–84, finished ninth and did not qualify for the 2004 Olympic Games. Nowitzki scored 22.5 points per game (third overall), but in general seemed to lack focus and dominance due to his injury.[74]

In the EuroBasket 2005, Nowitzki came back strong. He surprisingly led a depleted German squad into the Finals, beating title favorites Slovenia in the quarter–finals and Spain in the semi–finals on the way. Eurobasket pundits praised Nowitzki in both matches: against Slovenia (76–62), the Forward scored a game high 22 points and commented: "The Slovenians underestimated us. They said we were the team they wanted and that was wrong, you shouldn't do that in the quarter–finals."[75] Against Spain (74–73), Nowitzki scored a game–high 27 points and scored the decisive basket: down by one and with only a few seconds to go, he drove on Spanish Forward Jorge Garbajosa, and hit a baseline jump shot over Garbajosa's outstretched arms with 3.9 seconds to go. The German later commented: "It was indescribable. Garbajosa kind of pushed me towards the baseline so I just went with it."[75] Despite losing the Finals 78–62 to the Greeks, Nowitzki was the tournament's leading scorer (26.1 per game) and second-leading rebounder (10.6 per game) and shot blocker (1.9 per game), and was voted the Most Valuable Player of the tournament.[76] When he was subbed out towards the end of the final, Nowitzki received a standing ovation from the crowd, which he later recalled as "one of the best moments of [his] career". The German team was awarded a silver medal.

In the 2006 FIBA World Championship, Nowitzki led the German team to an eighth place and commented: "It's tough luck. But overall, finishing eighth in the world is not bad."[77]

In the EuroBasket 2007, in which the top three teams automatically qualified for the Basketball at the 2008 Olympics, Nowitzki led Germany to a fifth place. He was the leading scorer with 24.0 points per game.[78] The fifth place meant that Germany fell short of direct qualification, but was allowed to participate in the 2008 Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Nowitzki led Germany into a decisive match against Puerto Rico for the last remaining slot. In that crucial match, he scored a game–high 32 points and was vital for the 96–82 win which sent the German basketball team to their first Olympics since the 1992 Summer Olympics.[79] Nowitzki was chosen to be the flag bearer for the German Olympic Team at the Opening ceremony for the 2008 Olympics.[80]

Dirk Nowitzki 2015

Nowitzki playing for Germany in 2015.

In 2009, Nowitzki skipped the EuroBasket 2009. In July 2010, he said that he would skip the 2010 FIBA World Championship. In summer 2011, Nowitzki played with Germany in the EuroBasket 2011, where the team reached ninth place. In 2015, Nowitzki captained Germany at the EuroBasket. They won only one game, and were eliminated in the group stage, on home soil. In January 2016, Nowitzki officially announced his retirement from Germany's national team. In his career with Germany's senior men's national team, he averaged 19.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game.

Nowitzki was named the Euroscar European Basketball Player of the Year by the Italian sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport for five years running from 2002 to 2006 and again in 2011. He was also named the Mister Europa European Player of the Year by the Italian sports magazine Superbasket in 2005, and the FIBA Europe Men's Player of the Year twice in 2005 and 2011.

The German Basketball Federation (DBB) honored Nowitzki with a jersey (number 14) retirement in September 2022, ahead of EuroBasket 2022. The ceremony was held on September 2, immediately before Germany's EuroBasket opening game against France in Cologne. DBB also announced that a replica of Nowitzki's national team jersey would hang from the arena rafters at all future Germany men's home games.

Player profile[]

FreiwurfNowitzki

Nowitzki (far right) is an outstanding free throw shooter, connecting on over 85% of his attempts.

Nowitzki is a versatile, all–purpose frontcourt player who mostly plays the Power Forward position, but has also played Center, Small Forward, and Point Forward throughout his career. With career averages of over 20 points and nearly 9 rebounds, he is a constant double–double threat.[20] Nowitzki is considered one of the best shooters in the game, hitting over 85% of his free throws, connecting on almost 50% of his field goal attempts and on almost 40% of his three–point shots, and is also winner of the 2006 NBA All–Star Three–Point Shootout competition.[20] In the 2006–07 season, Nowitzki became only the fifth member of the NBA's 50–40–90 club for players who shot 50% or better from the field, 40% or better on three–pointers, and 90% or better on free–throws in a single season while achieving the NBA league minimum number of makes in each category.

Nowitzki's shooting accuracy, combined with his tall seven–foot frame, makes him a tough defensive assignment and unique shooting mechanics (such as having a release point above his head), because he can shoot over most players.[81] Before the start of the 2011 NBA Finals, LeBron James called Nowitzki's one–legged fadeaway the second most unstoppable move ever, behind only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's skyhook. Additionally, Nowitzki could drive to the basket from the perimeter like few men his size were able to do. NBA.com lauded his versatility by stating: "The 7–0 forward who at times mans the pivot can strike fear in an opponent when he corrals a rebound and leads the break or prepares to launch a three–point bomb."[22] One of the Forward's main problems remains defense, where he averages just over one block per game and never made an All–Defensive Team.[20] Charles Barkley said the best way to guard Nowitzki was to "get a cigarette and a blindfold". Later on in his career, Nowitzki also developed an unorthodox post–up game, often backing down his opponents from the free–throw line or near the middle of the key, opening up the floor for multiple passing angles should a double team come his way. However, in a 2005 ESPN article, Nowitzki was voted the tenth best Power Forward of all time and was lauded for his "revolutionary" outside shooting skills.[81] In 2022, to commemorate the NBA's 75th Anniversary, The Athletic ranked their top 75 players of all time, and named Nowitzki as the 21st greatest player in NBA history.

Nowitzki was the sixth player in NBA history, and the first European, to hit the 30,000–point milestone. Apart from being the Mavericks' all–time leader in points, rebounds, field goals, field goal attempts, 3–pointers, 3–point attempts, blocks, free–throws, and free–throw attempts, Nowitzki made the NBA All-Star Games fourteen times and the All–NBA Teams twelve times. He was voted NBA MVP of the 2006–07 NBA season, becoming the first European player to receive the honor, as well as the Finals MVP of the 2011 NBA Finals. Other achievements include winning the 2006 NBA All–Star Three–Point Shootout and the 2017 NBA Teammate of the Year Award, being voted "European Basketballer of the Year" five times in a row by La Gazzetta dello Sport, and becoming leading scorer and elected MVP in the 2002 FIBA World Championships and EuroBasket 2005 tournaments.

Nowitzki is the only player to record at least 30,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, 3,000 assists, 1,200 steals, 1,200 blocks, and 1,500 three–point field goals.

NBA career statistics[]

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field-goal percentage  FT%  Free-throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high
 †  Won an NBA championship

Regular season[]

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1998–99 Dallas 47 24 20.4 .405 .206 .773 3.4 1.0 .6 .6 8.2
1999–00 Dallas 82 81 35.8 .461 .379 .830 6.5 2.5 .8 .8 17.5
2000–01 Dallas 82 82* 38.1 .474 .387 .838 9.2 2.1 1.0 1.2 21.8
2001–02 Dallas 76 76 38.0 .477 .397 .853 9.9 2.4 1.1 1.0 23.4
2002–03 Dallas 80 80 39.0 .463 .379 .881 9.9 3.0 1.4 1.0 25.1
2003–04 Dallas 77 77 37.9 .462 .341 .877 8.7 2.7 1.2 1.4 21.8
2004–05 Dallas 78 78 38.7 .459 .399 .869 9.7 3.1 1.2 1.5 26.1
2005–06 Dallas 81 81 38.1 .480 .406 .901 9.0 2.8 .7 1.0 26.6
2006–07 Dallas 78 78 36.2 .502 .416 .904 8.9 3.4 .7 .8 24.6
2007–08 Dallas 77 77 36.0 .479 .359 .879 8.6 3.5 .7 .9 23.6
2008–09 Dallas 81 81 37.7 .479 .359 .890 8.4 2.4 .8 .8 25.9
2009–10 Dallas 81 80 37.5 .481 .421 .915 7.7 2.7 .9 1.0 25.0
2010–11† Dallas 73 73 34.3 .517 .393 .892 7.0 2.6 .5 .6 23.0
2011–12 Dallas 62 62 33.5 .457 .368 .896 6.8 2.2 .7 .5 21.6
2012–13 Dallas 53 47 31.3 .471 .414 .860 6.8 2.5 .7 .7 17.3
2013–14 Dallas 80 80 32.9 .497 .398 .899 6.2 2.7 .9 .6 21.7
2014–15 Dallas 77 77 29.6 .459 .380 .882 5.9 1.9 .5 .4 17.3
2015–16 Dallas 75 75 31.5 .448 .368 .893 6.5 1.8 .7 .7 18.3
2016–17 Dallas 54 54 26.4 .437 .378 .875 6.5 1.5 .6 .7 14.2
2017–18 Dallas 77 77 24.7 .456 .409 .898 5.7 1.6 .6 .6 12.0
2018–19 Dallas 51 20 15.6 .359 .312 .780 3.1 .7 . 2 .4 7.3
Career 1,522 1,460 33.8 .471 .380 .879 7.5 2.4 .8 .8 20.7
All–Star 14 2 16.2 .450 .290 .875 3.7 1.1 .7 .4 8.7

Playoffs[]

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
2001 Dallas 10 10 39.9 .423 .283 .883 8.1 1.4 1.1 .8 23.4
2002 Dallas 8 8 44.6 .445 .571 .878 13.1 2.3 2.0 .8 28.4
2003 Dallas 17 17 42.5 .479 .443 .912 11.5 2.2 1.2 .9 25.3
2004 Dallas 5 5 42.4 .450 .467 .857 11.8 1.4 1.4 2.6 26.6
2005 Dallas 13 13 42.4 .402 .333 .829 10.1 3.3 1.4 1.6 23.7
2006 Dallas 23 23 42.7 .468 .343 .895 11.7 2.9 1.1 .6 27.0
2007 Dallas 6 6 39.8 .383 .211 .840 11.3 2.3 1.8 1.3 19.7
2008 Dallas 5 5 42.2 .473 .333 .808 12.0 4.0 .2 1.4 26.8
2009 Dallas 10 10 39.5 .518 .286 .925 10.1 3.1 .9 .8 26.8
2010 Dallas 6 6 38.8 .547 .571 .952 8.2 3.0 .8 .7 26.7
2011† Dallas 21 21 39.3 .485 .460 .941 8.1 2.5 .6 .6 27.7
2012 Dallas 4 4 38.5 .442 .167 .905 6.3 1.8 .8 .0 26.8
2014 Dallas 7 7 37.6 .429 .083 .806 8.0 1.6 .9 .9 19.1
2015 Dallas 5 5 36.2 .452 .235 .929 10.2 2.4 .4 .4 21.2
2016 Dallas 5 5 34.0 .494 .364 .941 5.0 1.6 .4 .6 20.4
Career 145 145 40.7 .462 .365 .892 10.0 2.5 1.0 .9 25.3

Career highlights and awards[]

NBA[]

Dallas Mavericks all–time statistical leader in games, seasons, points, rebounds, blocks, field goals, three–point field goals, and free throws NBA record for most seasons with one team (21) and games played in a career spent with only one team (1,522)

German national basketball team[]

Other achievements and highlights[]

German national flag bearer at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China

Personal life[]

Dirk Nowitzki 2019

Nowitzki in July 2019.

Nowitzki's older sister, Silke Nowitzki, described Nowitzki as a confident, but low–key character, unspoiled by money and fame. He enjoys reading and playing the saxophone. Nowitzki passed his Abitur examination at Röntgen Gymnasium Grammar School of Würzburg. He founded the Dirk Nowitzki Foundation, a charity which aims at fighting poverty in Africa.

Nowitzki dated Sybille Gerer, a female basketball player from his local club DJK Würzburg. The relationship started in 1992 and lasted for 10 years before it ended in 2002; Nowitzki said, "At the end, we found out we developed in separate ways. ... It did not work anymore, but we are still good friends." He added: "I surely want to start a family and have kids, but I cannot imagine it happening before I become 30."

In 2010, Nowitzki met and began dating Jessica Olsson, sister of twin Swedish footballers Martin Olsson and Marcus Olsson. The couple got married on July 20, 2012, at Nowitzki's home in Dallas. They have a daughter, born in July 2013 and two sons, born in March 2015 and November 2016, respectively. Though Nowitzki has considered acquiring U.S. citizenship, he remains a German national.

Nowitzki acknowledged close ties to his mentor Holger Geschwindner, whom he called his best friend. He is also good friends with his ex–teammate Steve Nash. Nash said of playing with Nowitzki, "We were both joining a new club, living in a new city, we were both single and outsiders: this creates a bond ... He made life easier for me and I for him ... Our friendship was something solid in a very volatile world." Nowitzki added, "He would have also become a good friend if we had met at the supermarket."

Nowitzki is a keen association football fan and an avid supporter of Arsenal F.C.

Books[]

Nowitzki's career has been chronicled in books. Dirk Nowitzki: German Wunderkind, written by German sports journalists Dino Reisner and Holger Sauer, was published in 2004 by CoPress Munich. The 160–page hardcover book follows Nowitzki's beginnings in his native Würzburg, documents his entry into and ascent within the NBA, and ends at the beginning of the 2004–05 NBA season.

In November 2011, the Würzburg local newspaper Main–Post published a 216–page book written by its sports journalists Jürgen Höpfl and Fabian Frühwirth: Einfach Er – Dirk Nowitzki – Aus Würzburg an die Weltspitze, (Just Him – Dirk Nowitzki – From Würzburg to the Top of the World). Both Höpfl and Frühwirth accompanied Nowitzki throughout his career, collecting interviews and photos used in the book. It looks back on the 2011 NBA Finals, but also has a strong focus on Nowitzki's relation to his hometown Würzburg and his career progression which began there. The book features insights from former coaches, family members, and friends.

Thomas Pletzinger published in 2019 the 502–page biography The Great Nowitzki, which was regarded as one of the best sports–biographies to have ever been published in German.

In popular culture[]

In 2014, the film documentary Nowitzki. The Perfect Shot was released, which retells Nowitzki's career and life.

Honors[]

On October 30, 2019, by a unanimous resolution of the Dallas City Council, part of Olive Street was renamed in Nowitzki Way, which runs past the American Airlines Center. At the beginning of December 2019 in Berlin, Nowitzki received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany from Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier as an award for his social commitment.

Dirk Nowitzki Statue

Dirk Nowitzki Statue in Dallas.

On January 5, 2022 in a 99–82 win against the Golden State Warriors, Nowitzki's number 41 was retired by the Mavericks. The same night, Mark Cuban unveiled the design for the statue of Nowitzki that is planned to be installed outside the arena. The statue was unveiled on Christmas Day later that year in a Mavs' 124–115 win against the Los Angeles Lakers.

Dirk Nowitzki Statue Frankfurt

Dirk Nowitzki Statue in Frankfurt.

A Dirk Nowitzki Statue was unveiled on October 12, 2023 in recognition of Nowitzki's long–term advertising activities by the CEO of the ING Germany in the presence of Nowitzki in Frankfurt. The statue made by the sculptor Andreas Artur Hoferick of bronze, slightly over life size, shows Nowitzki sitting on a wooden bench on one side. The position on the bench is said to invite passers–by to take space next to the athlete.

References[]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Sauer, Reisner, Dirk Nowitzki - German wunderkind, 2004, CoPress Munich, ISBN 3-7679-0872-7, 12–20
  2. ↑ Sauer, 30
  3. ↑ Sauer, 14–17
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Sauer, 20–22
  5. ↑ Sauer, 22–24
  6. ↑ Sauer, 25
  7. ↑ Sauer, 26
  8. ↑ Sauer, 30–31
  9. ↑ Sauer, 33–38
  10. ↑ Sauer, 38–39
  11. ↑ Sauer, 38–45
  12. ↑ Sauer, 37–38
  13. ↑ Sauer, 39–40
  14. ↑ Sauer, 42–43
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Sauer, 47
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Sauer, 49–51
  17. ↑ DJK Basketball: Wir über uns, djk-wuerzburg-basketball.de, accessed March 9, 2008
  18. ↑ Sauer, 54–59
  19. ↑ Sauer, 59–65
  20. ↑ 20.00 20.01 20.02 20.03 20.04 20.05 20.06 20.07 20.08 20.09 20.10 20.11 20.12 20.13 20.14 20.15 20.16 20.17 20.18 Dirk Nowitzki Statistics, basketball-reference.com, accessed January 6, 2008
  21. ↑ Sauer, 67
  22. ↑ 22.00 22.01 22.02 22.03 22.04 22.05 22.06 22.07 22.08 22.09 22.10 22.11 22.12 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named nbabio
  23. ↑ Sauer, 69
  24. ↑ Sauer, 71
  25. ↑ Sauer, 74–75
  26. ↑ 26.0 26.1 26.2 Sauer, 77
  27. ↑ 2000-01 Standings, nba.com/history, accessed January 7, 2008
  28. ↑ Playoff Appearances, nbahoopsonline.com, accessed January 7, 2008
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Sauer, 89–90
  30. ↑ Sauer, 92
  31. ↑ Spurs rout Mavs to wrap up semifinal series, sportsillustrated.cnn.com, May 14, 2001, accessed January 6, 2008
  32. ↑ Sauer, 93–94
  33. ↑ 2001-02 Standings, nba.com/history, accessed January 5, 2008
  34. ↑ Sauer, 103
  35. ↑ 35.0 35.1 Sauer, 104
  36. ↑ Sauer, 105
  37. ↑ Sacramento Stampedes Into Conference Finals, nba.com, May 13, 2002, accessed January 6, 2008
  38. ↑ Sauer, 107
  39. ↑ Sauer, 106
  40. ↑ Sauer, 108–109
  41. ↑ Sauer, 110
  42. ↑ Sauer, 112
  43. ↑ 43.0 43.1 43.2 43.3 Sauer, 114
  44. ↑ Mavs avoid losing series after blowing 3-0 lead, sports.espn.go.com, May 4, 2003, accessed January 7, 2008
  45. ↑ Mavs make West finals for first time since 1988, sports.espn.go.com, May 17, 2003, accessed January 7, 2008
  46. ↑ 46.0 46.1 Sauer, 117
  47. ↑ Spurs outscore Mavs 34-9 in final quarter, sports.espn.go.com, May 29, 2003, accessed January 7, 2008
  48. ↑ Sauer, 118
  49. ↑ Sauer, 118–119
  50. ↑ Sauer, 119
  51. ↑ Bibby hits for 36, Nowitzki misses at buzzer, sports.espn.go.com, accessed January 7, 2008
  52. ↑ 52.0 52.1 Rockets Reel in Game 1 Win, nba.com, April 23, 2005, accessed January 19, 2008
  53. ↑ Rockets 113 @ Mavericks 111, Game 2 Box Score, nba.com, April 25, 2005, accessed January 19, 2008
  54. ↑ Mavericks Cruise Past Rockets in Game 7, nba.com, May 7, 2006, accessed January 19, 2008
  55. ↑ NBA Western Conference Semi Finals, Game 6, Suns 130 @ Mavericks 126, nba.com, May 20, 2005, accessed January 19, 2008
  56. ↑ Nash Crashes Mavs’ Party; Suns Advance, nba.com, May 20, 2005, accessed January 19, 2008
  57. ↑ Dirk's Daggers Light Up Houston, nba.com, accessed January 7, 2008
  58. ↑ NBA Standings - 2005-2006, sports.espn.go.com, accessed January 7, 2008
  59. ↑ 59.0 59.1 Nowitzki, Mavericks Outlast and Dethrone Spurs, nba.com, May 22, 2006, accessed January 7, 2007
  60. ↑ Comeback win vaults Mavs into NBA Finals, sports.espn.go.com, accessed January 7, 2008
  61. ↑ Simmons, Bill, "Time to put Dirk in Pantheon", sports.espn.go.com, accessed January 19, 2008
  62. ↑ Dallas Mavericks @ Miami Heat, NBA Finals Game 3, Play-by-Play, nba.com, accessed January 7, 2008
  63. ↑ Wade Leads Heat to First NBA Championship, nba.com, accessed January 7, 2008
  64. ↑ NBA Standings - 2006-2007, sports.espn.go.com, accessed January 7, 2008
  65. ↑ 65.0 65.1 Warriors Make History, Close Out Mavs, nba.com, accessed January 7, 2008
  66. ↑ Nowitzki stumbles to 2-for-13 shooting in Game 6, sports.espn.go.com, accessed January 7, 2008
  67. ↑ "Dirk Nowitzki Wins 2006-07 MVP Award", nba.com, accessed January 7, 2008
  68. ↑ 68.0 68.1 Paul’s Triple-Double Helps Hornets Oust Mavericks, nba.com, April 29, 2008, accessed May 9, 2008
  69. ↑ Aron, Jaime, "Nets Slapped with Fifth Straight Loss", nba.com, March 8, 2008, accessed March 9, 2008
  70. ↑ Sauer, 122–124
  71. ↑ 71.0 71.1 Sauer, 125–129
  72. ↑ 2001 European Dream Team 2001, basket-stats.info, accessed January 19, 2008
  73. ↑ 73.0 73.1 73.2 Sauer, 129–140
  74. ↑ 74.0 74.1 Sauer, 140–145
  75. ↑ 75.0 75.1 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2005, eurobasket.com, accessed January 19, 2008
  76. ↑ MVP Nowitzki Tops EuroBasket 2005 All-Tournament Team, eurobasket2005.fibaeurope.com, accessed January 19, 2008
  77. ↑ Game Report, Lithuania vs Germany, 77-62, 7th Place, fiba.com, accessed January 19, 2008
  78. ↑ Eurobasket 2007: Players - Statistical Leaders, www.eurobasket2007.org, accessed June 20, 2008
  79. ↑ Deutsche Basketballer erkämpfen sich Olympia-Qualifikation, www.spiegel.de, accessed June 20, 2008
  80. ↑ Basketball star Nowitzki to carry German Olympic flag, news.yahoo.com, August 6, 2008, accessed August 7, 2008.
  81. ↑ 81.0 81.1 ESPN.com's Greatest Power Forwards, sports.espn.go.com, June 2, 2005, accessed January 7, 2008

External links[]

See also[]

Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.
Advertisement

Fan Feed

More Basketball Wiki