It has been two months since Dirk Nowitzki walked away from the basketball court after a glittering 21-year NBA career. The 41-year-old is now spending time with his family and doing things he could never do before.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Vennenbernd
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Dirk Nowitzki has jumped over so many opponents and won so many rebounds during his NBA career, but the German had less success finding a way through a closed off section of the motorway near Frankfurt early on Wednesday morning.
It wasn't that long ago that Nowitzki would have had help to find another route, or avoided the whole thing by taking a helicopter instead of a private car. Elite players are so important to teams that such annoyances don't feature. However, such luxuries are a thing of the past for Nowitzki.
The 41-year-old has been a man of leisure since mid-April. A sporting pensioner, Nowitzki is playing in his annual "Champions for Charity" football game at Leverkusen's stadium on July 21, which means arriving 30 minutes late isn't really a problem.
Nowitzki now finds himself enjoying a life that he never really knew. He was the "German Wunderkind" who, with the help of his mentor Holger Geschwindner, fine-tuned his basketball skill every hour of the day during his youth. "I'm happy to do things now that I didn't do before," Nowitzki said.
The superstar was keen to first put some distance between himself and his glorious sporting past, and to open himself up to a new, unknown life. He has to take a breath and work through his unique and long career.
Dallas Mavericks owner Mark CubanImage: picture-alliance/AP/The Dallas Morning News/S. N. Pool
There might never have been a player in NBA history given as heartfelt a departure as Nowitzki. The likes of Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were revered by fans, but Nowitzki was loved. Whether it was for his incredible sporting performances, or his authenticity or his down-to-earthness, Nowitzki was special. Not everyone can handle so much devotion.
Nowitzki is back on the road. This time though, he's not traveling across the US for endless league games. Instead, he's spending time with his family. With his wife, Jessica Olsson, and his daughter and two sons, Nowitzki has been to Disney Land in Florida and his hometown of Würzburg, where his remarkable story started.
Fast food over diet
In winter, Nowitzki plans to ski and snowboard again. "I've also never been to Oktoberfest in Munich," Nowitzki said. Nowitzki is catching up on all the things that he wasn't able to do during his playing days because it wouldn't have been good for his career. "I'd like to celebrate Christmas back home with my parents in Würzburg again," he said. "I haven't done that in a long time."
Nowitzki has also enjoyed as much fast food in the two months since his retirement than perhaps ever before in his life. The diet he had in place for years, one that he even strictly followed during his holidays, now plays no role whatsoever. "One or two suits don't fit anymore," Nowitzki said with a broad smile. He has put on a bit of weight, five kilograms apparently, but it doesn't seem to bother him at all. "I haven't done a workout in the last two months, nothing at all."
Family focus
Nowitzki has no intention of staying in Germany, though. He wants to return to Dallas. That's where his life is, and he wants to and likely will return to the Mavericks. In what role? "I don't know, time will tell," Nowitzki said, adding that right now he hasn't got any space left to think about it. He also can't see himself taking up a role with the German national team. "I'm just not here enough to have enough influence," Nowitzki said. The focus at the moment is on his family - everything else isn't as important right now.
Nowitzki is enjoying his new daily routine and is getting used to daily life without sport, even if he's still in the midst of processing all that has happened. Dallas owner Mark Cuban wants to build a statue of Nowitzki in front of the American Airlines Center. The street in front of the multi-purpose arena is also supposed to be named after the German. At least there, it's unlikely that Nowitzki will find himself held up by traffic or roadworks.
Dirk Nowitzki: One last swish
Dirk Nowitzki's NBA career is about to draw to a close after he announced his retirement at the age of 40. We look back at the career of Germany's greatest-ever basketball player.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Gebert
It's over
In the final home game of his career, Dirk Nowitzki scored a season-high 30 points as his Dallas Mavericks beat the Phoenix Suns 120-109. After the game, the German announced that he would retire following their season finale in San Antonio. He was joined at a post-game ceremony by NBA legends Larry Bird (right) and Scottie Pippen (left).
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/T. Gutierrez
Another milestone
Although he saw limited playing time in his last season in the NBA, Dirk Nowitzki did manage to reach another milestone. Against the Memphis Grizzlies on April 7, 2019, Nowitzki gathered in his 10,000th defensive rebound. He is just the fifth NBA player to reach the 10,000-rebound mark.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/B. Dill
30,000-point man
Two years earlier on March 7, 2017, Dirk Nowitzki reached another impressive milestone, scoring his 30,000th point in a home game against the Los Angeles Lakers. No. 41 finished his career with 31,560 points, making him the sixth-best scorer in NBA history.
Image: Getty Images/R. Martinez
Discovered in the German second division
The Dallas Mavericks and the NBA are a long way from where it all started. He was born in Würzburg, Bavaria on June 19, 1978. He didn't pick up a basketball until he was 13, but it was clear from the start that he had talent. While he was playing with Würzburg in Germany's second division the then 19-year-old first drew the attention of several NBA scouts.
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The German wunderkind
The Milwaukee Bucks made Dirk Nowitzki the ninth overall pick in the 1998 NBA draft. Milwaukee then immediately traded Nowitzki to the Dallas Mavericks, meaning he never actually wore a Bucks jersey. Nowitzki got off to a slow start with the Mavs in his first season, which was shortened by a lockout. However, it wouldn't be long before Milwaukee's management would regret their mistake.
Image: AP
Fadeaway specialist
Nowitzki's trademark was his fadeaway jump shot. It may not be as spectacular as a dunk, which he's also more than capable of producing, but it is just as effective. The NBA's best defenders often commented about how hard it was to defend Dirk when he was in rhythm. He can do it all, it seems.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/AP/A. Kudacki
German flagbearer
Nowitzki had the honor of being Germany's flagbearer at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing. However, Germany's basketball team failed to make it to the knockout phase. Nowitzki did win the bronze medal with Germany at the 2002 World Basketball Championship as well as silver at the 2005 edition of the tournament.
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Mentor, personal trainer, advisor, friend
Holger Geschwindner was an elite basketball player who represented Germany at the 1972 Summer Olympic Games in Munich. However, he is far better known as the man who discovered Nowitzki. In 1995 he convinced Nowitzki to dedicate himself exclusively to basketball. Even now, Nowitzki sometimes has Geschwindner fly over to the US, where he is still the NBA star's personal trainer and mentor.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Dedert
A title for the ages
Dirk Nowitzki and his Dallas Mavericks won the 2011 NBA championship. The German helped make the title possible through more than just his play on the court — he agreed to accept a contract that paid him below market value in order to allow the team to bring in other big-name stars. Dallas won the NBA final series 4 games to 2 over LeBron James and the Miami Heat.
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A German global star
Nowitzki thus became the first-ever German to win an NBA title, putting him in the same conversation as former German greats Max Schmeling, Franz Beckenbauer or Michael Schumacher. He was also named the Most Valuable Player of those NBA playoffs, four seasons after he had become the first European to be named the NBA's MVP. At home, he was named the 2011 German Sports Personality of the Year.
Image: AP
Accessible to the fans and media
Despite all of this success, Nowitzki has always kept his feet planted firmly on the ground. He makes himself available for interviews whenever he can and he takes time to sign autographs for the fans a much as he can. However, the father of three children tends to keep his family life to himself.
Image: Reuters/USA Today Sports/EFE/J. Mendez
Away from the court
Nowitzki is the curator of a foundation committed to the promotion of youth welfare, as well as the education and training of socially disadvantaged people. Involved in a number of other projects, the German has earned himself a reputation as player whose influence reaches beyond the basketball court. Here he is talking about Basketball Without Borders at a press conference in South Africa.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/AP/T. Hadebe
Time on the sidelines
Injuries were a recurring problem in the later stages of Nowitzki’s career. His 31,560 points put him in sixth place on the NBA's all-time scorers' list, ahead of the likes of Wilt Chamberlain and Shaquille O'Neal.
