Watch: Teary-eyed Dirk Nowitzki watches on as Mark Cuban unveils a model of the statue the Dallas Mavericks will build in his honor
Paying tribute to a franchise legend, the Dallas Mavericks retired Dirk Nowitzki's jersey following the NBA's Wednesday night game against the Golden State Warriors.
As part of the jersey retirement ceremony, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban also decided to honor the Mavericks legend by unveiling the model for a statue of the German superstar.
Mark Cuban unveils the model of the statue that the @dallasmavs will build in honor of Dirk Nowitzki!
Watch on NBA TV, NBA.com or the NBA App. #41Forever https://t.co/XCoLi8y9cn
With a career spanning 21 seasons, all of which were spent with the Dallas Mavericks, Nowitzki is among the rare few who have stayed with the team they started their careers with.
To honor his loyalty to the franchise, the Mavericks will erect a statue of Dirk Nowitzki outside the American Airlines Center, and as Mark Cuban promises..."it's going to be big."
Dirk Nowitzki's contributions to the Dallas Mavericks franchise
Dirk Nowitzki is widely regarded as one of the best European players to ever play the game of basketball. Standing over seven feet tall, he was one of the players who set the template for a stretch four in the league.
Beginning his basketball journey in his native country of Germany, Nowitzki's talents got him noticed by the NBA and he was drafted in 1998 by the Milwaukee Bucks. However, he was then traded to the Dallas Mavericks also on draft night.
Becoming an impact player for the Mavs almost immediately, Nowitzki showed all the traits of being a superstar in the league. With a knack for scoring and a sweet jumpshot that was nearly impossible to block, he is among the ranks of the NBA's All-Time Scoring Leaders.
Coming in at sixth place with more than 31,500 points over the course of his career, he is also the only player from Europe on the list.
Dirk Nowitzki's relevance to the Dallas Mavericks is unquestionable. Keeping the franchise in playoff contention for long stretches throughout his career, Nowitzki made two NBA Finals appearances that resulted in him emerging as champion in 2011.
After losing to the Miami Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals, Nowitzki played some of the best basketball of his career the following season, winning his first MVP in the process.
But the 2011 championship run put Nowitzki in the history books. Widely regarded as one of the greatest championship runs of all time, he led the Dallas Mavericks past some really good teams to win it all.
Facing off against the reigning champion LA Lakers, the up-and-coming OKC Thunder led by Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, and the Big Three Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, the Mavs' title run was nothing short of epic.
Putting up an average of 27.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game over the course of the 2011 NBA Playoffs, Nowitzki won his first and only NBA Finals MVP award and in the process brought Dallas their first ever NBA title.
While the decline following his championship run was rapid and riddled with injuries, the Dallas Mavericks will be forever indebted to the German big man. Currently acting as a mentor to Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic, Nowitzki still sees himself closely linked to the city and the franchise.
2011 NBA Finals MVP
@BleacherReport ◽️ 2011 NBA Finals MVP
◽️ '06-'07 NBA MVP
◽️ 14x All-Star
◽️ 12x All-NBA
◽️ 6th most points in NBA history
Dirk Nowitzki's number is officially in the rafters.
🎥 @BleacherReport
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