Those days are gone when the NBA only had American players that dominated the league. Nowadays, there are many international players who have showcased their talents and have found a way to become superstars in the league.
The likes of Luka Doncic, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Nikola Jokic have all proved their talents in the league and are some of the top players in the league.
But if it weren’t for Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki, the NBA may not have decided to give international players so many chances. Dirk spent 21 seasons in the NBA and accumulated a plethora of records during his career.
His biggest achievement came when he won the 2011 NBA Championship and defeated the likes of LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Durant in the process. He will definitely be in the Basketball Hall of Fame one day.
What’s more impressive is the fact that Nowitzki spent his entire career with the Dallas Mavericks. For his achievements, the franchise honored him by retiring his jersey.
Dirk Nowitzki Gets His Jersey Retired By Germany
While Dirk achieved a lot in his NBA career, he played a crucial role for the German national team as well. Following in the footsteps of the Dallas Mavericks, the German national team has also retired Dirk’s jersey. In fact, Dirk became the first German basketball player to get his jersey retired.
Evidently, it was an emotional moment for the 44-year-old, and he was barely managing to control his tears during the ceremony.
Dirk had some memorable moments while playing for Germany, but his best performance was during the 2005 EuroBasket.
Behind his dominant campaign, he led Germany to a silver medal. As a whole, Dirk averaged 19.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists during his time with the team. He will forever be remembered as a legend of the sport by fans.
