NFL
By: Jordan Hom
On January 5, 2022, the Dallas Mavericks celebrated Dirk Nowitzki as they sent his “41” jersey to the rafters of American Airlines Center. At the ceremony, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban also announced that Nowitzki will be honored with a statue outside of the arena.
To celebrate his accomplishments, his family, longtime mentor/coach Holger Geschwindner and many of his former teammates were in attendance at the arena, including Shawn Marion, Tyson Chandler, Peja Stojakovic, J.J. Barea, and current Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd. During the ceremony, a tribute video was played on the jumbotron, showcasing the many records and thrilling moments that highlighted Nowitzki’s career. The video also included many of his peers and adversaries giving Nowitzki his well-deserved praise. After a speech from Nowitzki, the ceremony concluded with the raising of his “41’ jersey up to the rafters, a number never to be worn again by another Dallas Maverick.
As a native of Wurzburg, Germany, Dirk Nowitzki is considered to be one of the greatest players to ever step foot on the basketball court. With his signature one-legged fadeaway jump shot, Nowitzki re-imagined the traditional definition of a “prototypical big man” in the league. His influence across the league can be found through the increasing myriad of international players making the leap to the NBA as well as the number of jump-shooting big men who have added the three-ball caveat to their arsenal.
In the record books, Nowitzki’s name is enshrined among the other greats of the game. Nowitzki ranks sixth overall on the all-time points scored list, ahead of legends like Shaquille O’Neal and Wilt Chamberlain, with 31,560 points to his name. He sits in the top-15 of career three-pointers made with just under 2,000, and he is the only big man among the top-25. Additionally, Nowitzki has been selected to the NBA All-Star team 14 times and has been named to the All-NBA First Team a total of four times.
Nowitzki is one of only five international NBA players to have received the league’s highest regular-season honor of the Most Valuable Player Award (MVP). The others on this list include Hakeem Olajuwon, Steve Nash, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic.
However, the most illustrious award that Dirk Nowitzki achieved in his career came in 2011, when he led his Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Championship over the star-studded Miami Heat. This championship was the defining peak in his career as the title cemented his already strong resume into historical heights.
Before winning the championship trophy, many of his critics pointed out his flaws of being “soft” and a “playoff choker”. However, the narrative around him completely changed when he willed his team to the 2011 championship, defeating many greats along his path to glory. In the 2011 playoffs, he faced off against LaMarcus Aldridge and the Portland Trail Blazers, swept the 2x defending champion Los Angeles Lakers with Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol, dismantled the young Oklahoma City Thunder team with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden and outshined Miami’s Big Three of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. For his historic efforts, he was rewarded with the 2011 NBA Finals MVP, becoming the second European player to achieve that honor.
Although Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks never quite reached the same heights after the 2011 NBA season, his legacy will be forever immortalized. The “silky-smooth” German redefined what it meant to be a big man in the NBA and he helped to dispel the negative perception of European and international prospects. With his plethora of accomplishments for the Mavericks and lasting impact on the city of Dallas, it is only fitting that Nowitzki will see his “41” jersey up in the rafters.
Thank you, Dirk Nowitzki.
41 Forever.
