Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk Werner Nowitzki (German: [ˈdɪʁk noˈvɪtski] ; born June 19, 1978) is a German former professional basketball player who is a special advisor for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA), with whom he played his entire 21-year career as a power forward. 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.

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. Nowitzki led the franchise to 15 NBA playoff appearances (2001–2012; 2014–2016), including the franchise's first NBA Finals appearance in 2006 and its only NBA championship in 2011. Known for his scoring ability, versatility, accurate outside shooting, and trademark one-legged 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 to ever 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. The first Maverick to be voted onto an All-NBA Team, he 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 Germany national team to a bronze medal in the 2002 FIBA World Championship and a silver medal in EuroBasket 2005; he 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. In 2021, he was selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. Nowitzki was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023 and into the FIBA Hall of Fame in 2026.