With Isaiah Hartenstein signing a multi-year contract with the Houston Rockets, Germany's presence in the NBA is greater than ever. And unlike before, these players could have an impact.
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It has been a good week for German basketball players.
After signing a new one-year, $5 million (€4.3 million) deal with the Dallas Mavericks on Monday, Dirk Nowitzki is set to become the first ever player to play 21 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) with the same team.
On Wednesday, his compatriot Dennis Schröder was traded from a lackluster Atlanta Hawks team to the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team that has made the NBA playoffs in each of the last five seasons.
To cap it off, Isaiah Hartenstein, who spent last season in the NBA's developmental G-League, signed a three-year contract with the Houston Rockets, a Western Conference finalist last season. In fact, the only German player who had a bad week was Paul Zipser, who may go back to Bayern Munich after being cut by the Chicago Bulls.
As it stands, seven German players are on NBA rosters, which is more than there has ever been. And unlike previous years, where only a handful of Germans were consistently contributors, several of these players can make a real impact.
Not just Dirk
Nowitzki has been the flag bearer for Germany in basketball for two decades. But as his career winds down, he is no longer the only German making headlines.
Schröder has shown flashes that hint at stardom already, and after five seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, he now can play a significant role on a playoff team. The 24-year-old may not start every game, especially since Russell Westbrook, a former NBA Most Valuable Player, is the main act in town. But he could still get significant minutes while coming off the bench, and may even pair with Westbrook late in games.
Daniel Theis and Nowitzki's teammate Maxi Kleber, two front court players from Germany's basketball league (BBL) who signed with the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks respectively before last season, could play an important role next season.
Theis became a valuable part of the Celtics' rotation before missing the end of the regular season and the playoffs with a knee injury, and could be again as Boston contends for an NBA title. Kleber has seen standing with the Mavericks has diminished after they signed DeAndre Jordan, but could still be a valuable rotational piece as Dallas hopes to return to the playoffs.
Young prototypes at the ready
Though German basketball is set to lose Nowitzki to Father Time, there may be some new mini-Dirks set to take his place.
The hottest name at the moment is Moritz Wagner, who was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of June's NBA Draft. After leading the Michigan University Wolverines to the college basketball championship game, the 21-year-old averaged 10 points and eight rebounds in three games at the NBA's summer league. If Wagner, who, like Nowitzki, is 7-feet (2.13 meters) tall, outplays some of his teammates ahead of him on the depth chart, he could be starting next to LeBron James by the end of the season.
And then there's Hartenstein, a highly touted power forward who averaged 22 points and eight rebounds in four summer league games for the Rockets. Houston lost several role players from last year's team, which reached the Western Conference finals, so the door could be open for the 20-year-old to impress.
So even as Nowitzki's stardom fades — his 12 points-per-game average last season was the second lowest of his career — Germany's presence in the NBA has arguably never been greater.
Dirk Nowitzki: A wunderkind turns 40
Germany's biggest basketball star is currently out injured, but despite having just turned 40, he intends to be back on the court for the Dallas Mavericks this year. DW looks back on his illustrious career so far.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Gebert
No. 41 turns 40
Dirk Nowitzki wears No. 41 for the Dallas Mavericks. Germany's biggest basketball star and probably its biggest international sports star has just turned 40. He happens to be the fourth-oldest player in the NBA.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/AP/The Dallas Morning News/ V. Bryant
Discovered in the German second division
Dirk Nowitzki, whose mother played basketball for Germany and whose father was a second-division handball player, was born in Würzburg 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. It was while he was playing for Würzburg of Germany's second division, that the then 19-year-old first drew the attention of several NBA scouts.
Image: picture-alliance/ASA
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 is his fadeaway jump shot. It may not be as spectacular as a dunk, which he's also more than capable of producing, it is just as effective. the NBA's best defenders often comment about how hard it was to defend Dirk when he was in rhythm. It seems, he can do it all.
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.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
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
Image: piture-alliance/dpa
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 German Sports Personality of the Year 2011.
Image: AP
Accessible to the fans and media
Despite all of this success, Dirk Nowitzki has always kept his feet planted firmly on the ground. He makes himself available for interviews whenever he can, 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 have been a recurring problem in the later stages of the Nowitzki’s career. He will continue to miss minor games as a precautionary measure, but is nevertheless going into his 21st season in the NBA. With 31,187 career points (as of 19.06.2018), he is the sixth-highest all-time scorer in the NBA and he’s still got more than a few baskets left in him.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/D. Zalubowski
Inspiring the next generation…
There are a couple of players vying to be Dirk Nowitzki’s successor as Germany’s No1. NBA star. Top of the pile is Dennis Schröder of the Atlanta Hawks. The Braunschweig native is well regarded, but whether he can fill the big shoes left behind by "Dirkules" remains to be seen. After all a talent like Nowitzki’s doesn’t come around very often…