The Tall Baller from the G
Career Journey
Career Trend
All articles
June 12, 2011: a 7-foot German walked off the Miami floor a champion and wept alone. The one-legged fadeaway, 21 one-franchise seasons, and the redemption that erased 2006. Why the Mavericks retired #41.
Dallas Mavericks
Dallas Mavericks
Subscribe for in-depth player analysis and stat breakdowns delivered to your inbox.
Dallas Mavericks
1998-2019
Featured Achievements
#6 All-Time Scorer
31,560 points#6 All-Time
Sixth on the NBA all-time scoring list with 31,560 points. The greatest international scorer in NBA history.
NBA Champion — Dallas Mavericks (2011)
1 ringLed the Mavericks to their only championship, defeating the Miami Heat Big Three. Named Finals MVP.
21-Year Mavericks Career
21 seasonsSpent his entire 21-year career (1998-2019) with the Dallas Mavericks — the longest single-team tenure in NBA history.
#8 All-Time FGM Leader
11,169 FGM#8 All-Time FTM Leader
7,240 FTM10-11
| Season | GP | PPG | RPG | APG | FG% | 3P% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | 73 | 23 | 7 | 2.6 | 47.6% | 39.3% |
| 2006-07 | 78 | 24.6 | 8.9 | 3.4 | 50.2% | 41.6% |
| 2005-06 | 81 | 26.6 | 9 | 2.8 | 48.0% | 40.6% |
Dirk Nowitzki spent 21 seasons with the Dallas Mavericks — the longest single-franchise tenure in NBA history — and finished with 31,560 career points, sixth all-time. He arrived from Germany in 1998 as a seven-foot teenager with a shooting touch that no player at his size had demonstrated before him, and he retired in 2019 having changed the positional requirements for power forwards at every level of the game.
His signature shot — a one-legged fadeaway from the left elbow, released at the apex of his jump with his right knee raised for balance — was technically illegal to contest cleanly. Defenders who closed out were too short; defenders who stayed back gave him open looks. The shot became the template for stretch-four play in the modern NBA, and it appeared in championship-level concentration during the 2011 Finals.
The 2011 championship remains his defining series. Miami's roster that year — LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh in their first full season together — was widely expected to run through a Dallas team that lacked equivalent individual talent. Nowitzki averaged 26.0 points per game on 42 percent three-point shooting across six games, including 48 points in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against Oklahoma City. In the Finals, he shot 52.4 percent from the field, scored 36 points in a fourth-quarter comeback during Game 4, and was named Finals MVP as Dallas won the championship in six games.
He finished his career averaging 20.7 points and 7.5 rebounds per game. The MVP award in 2006-07 — when he averaged 24.6 points and 8.9 rebounds on 50.2 percent shooting — made him the first European player to win the NBA's most prestigious individual honor.
Personal Life & Family
Partner
Jessica Olsson
Children (3)
Parents & Siblings
Off the Court
Dirk Nowitzki Foundation (children's charities)
Dallas community programs
German youth basketball
Did You Know?
His wife Jessica is Swedish-Kenyan, making their family beautifully multicultural — Dirk has spoken about how it broadened his worldview.
Mentor Holger Geschwindner, a physicist and former German national team player, created a unique training program using math and music.
Despite earning over $200 million in his career, he's known for living modestly and took pay cuts to help the Mavericks build competitive teams.
Played all 21 seasons with Dallas — the longest tenure with one franchise in NBA history.
His 2011 championship run, defeating LeBron James and the Heat superteam, is considered one of the greatest individual postseason performances ever.
Career Honors
NBA Champion (2011)
Finals MVP (2011)
NBA MVP (2007)
14x All-Star
Revolutionized the shooting big man position
Official Jerseys
699.99
Check Price on NBA Store
1024.99
Check Price on NBA Store
899.99
Check Price on NBA Store
549.99
Check Price on NBA Store
487.49
Check Price on NBA Store
679.99
Check Price on NBA Store
101.24
Check Price on NBA Store
399.99
Check Price on NBA Store
887.99
Check Price on NBA Store
649.99
Check Price on NBA StoreDallas Mavericks · Official
59.99
Affiliate link · Disclosure
249.99
Affiliate link · Disclosure
Shop · Worldwide
This page contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission if you purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you.
© 2026 143 Basketball Haven
#4 All-Time Minutes Leader
#4 All-Time Games Played Leader
1,522 gamesNBA MVP
1x
