- Dirk Nowitzki played 21 seasons in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks
- In the second half of his career, Dirk used to bring his own food to games
- Nowitzki had gotten very particular about his diet as time went on
Dirk Nowitzki would make over $250 million in salaries during his time in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks, but when it came to food, he kept it simple. So simple, in fact, that Dirk would actually bring his own food wrapped in foil on a plate to games later on in his career.
Dirk Nowitzki pulling up with a food plate on game day was legendary ♨️ pic.twitter.com/64cmxVIISa
— ESPN (@espn) January 5, 2022
You certainly don’t expect someone who made as much money as Nowitzki did to go about things in this manner. There’s something to be admired about that kind of simplicity, especially when nowadays all that players seemingly want to do is show off when they come for games.
Why Was Dirk Bringing His Own Food To Games?
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has been praised by many players, with Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett stating that Cuban revolutionized NBA locker rooms. He brought in great food and even things like PlayStations to the locker room.
So, then why would Dirk feel the need to bring his own food, when his team owner goes to great lengths to ensure everything is top-notch? Well, it turns out it had to do with his strict diet regimen, as per the Mavericks.
“Yes, in Dirk’s old age he has gotten very particular about his diet,” Mavs PR explained. “So, that said, he brings his own food to eat after the game. The plate that he always walks around with is his to-go plate that he brings his food on every game. He is a creature of habit, for sure.”
Considering Dirk played 21 seasons in the league, getting very particular about his diet certainly did help him a lot. Only those who take great care of their bodies can stick around for that long, and Dirk definitely did that.
Dirk Nowitzki’s Stellar NBA Career
Dirk had a slow start to life in the NBA after being selected with the ninth pick of the 1998 Draft. By his fourth season, though, he had become an All-Star and by the time his career was over, Dirk was a 14-time All-Star.
In 2003, he led the Mavericks to their first Western Conference Finals since 1988. Three years later, he took them to the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history. The 2006 NBA Finals got off to a great start for Dirk and the Mavs as they went up 2-0, but they then proceeded to lose the next four games.
Instead of being disheartened by the defeat, Dirk had arguably his best regular season in 2006-07 and took home MVP honors. He led the Mavericks to the best record in the NBA at 67-15, but they were stunned in the first round by the Golden State Warriors in one of the biggest upsets in playoff history.
Nowitzki was embarrassed and disappointed after losing to the Warriors, and he didn’t want to leave his house for a couple of weeks after that.
The next couple of seasons would see more playoff heartbreak, but Dirk wouldn’t be down for too long. In 2011, he and the Mavs went on one of the greatest playoff runs in NBA history.
They swept the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Lakers in the Conference Semifinals and then beat the Kevin Durant-led Oklahoma City Thunder in the Conference Finals in five games.
That set up a clash with the Heat, who were led by the Big 3 of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. The Mavs were massive underdogs, but Dirk outperformed the Heat’s stars in the Finals.
The Mavs stunned the basketball world by beating the Heat in six games and Dirk was voted Finals MVP, as he averaged 26.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.7 steals, and 0.7 blocks per game.
It was Dirk’s crowning moment after years of heartbreak and solidified him as one of the game’s all-time greats.
We sincerely appreciate and respect you as a reader of our site. It would help us a lot if you follow us on Google News because of the latest update.
Thanks for following us. We really appreciate your support.
