Dirk Nowitzki

At 45 years old, Dirk Nowitzki has this physical status:

Dirk Werner Nowitzki (born June 19, 1978) is a German retired professional basketball player.

Nowitzki, the stout of the DJK Würzburg basketball team, was drafted as the ninth pick in the 1998 NBA draft and was immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks, where he played his entire 21-year National Basketball Association (NBA) career. Nowitzki is widely regarded as one of the top power forwards of all time, and many believe he is the best European player of all time.

Nowitzki coached the Mavericks to 15 NBA appearances (2001–2012; 2014–2016), including the franchise's first appearance in 2006 and its first NBA championship in 2011.

Nowitzki received the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2007 and the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in 2011. He is known for his scoring ability, his adaptability, his precise outside shooting, and his signature fadeaway jump shot. Nowitzki has been the only NBA player to play for a single franchise for 21 seasons.

He is a 14-time All-Star, the first European player to play in an All-Star game, and the first European player to earn the NBA Most Valuable Player Award.

Nowitzki is the highest-scoring foreign-born player in NBA history.

He was the first Mavericks to vote for an All-NBA squad and holds several all-time Maverick franchise records.

He became the first non-American player to be honoured with the Naismith Legacy Award on December 10, 2012.

Nowitzki was sixth on the list of National Basketball Association career scoring leaders after his retirement, and he helped the German national basketball team win a bronze medal and silver in Eurobasket 2005, and he was the top scorer and MVP in both tournaments.

Early years

Dirk Werner Nowitzki was born in Würzburg, Germany, and his father, Helga Nowitzki (née Bredenbröcker), was a professional basketball player, and his father Jörg-Werner, a handball player who represented Germany at the highest international level. Silke Nowitzki, a local champion in track and field, also became a basketball player and now works for the NBA in International Television.

Nowitzki was a tall boy; the majority of the time he stood over his peers by a foot or two. He began playing handball and tennis. He managed to become a top junior tennis player in Germany's youth circuit, but he soon became tired of being called a "freak" for his height and then moved to basketball, eventually. After joining the local DJK Würzburg, the 15-year-old caught the attention of former German international basketball player Holger Geschwindner, who saw his potential right away and promised to help him individually two to three times a week. Geschwindner put his student through an unconventional training program: he emphasized rifle and passing drills, but he avoided weight training and tactical drills because he felt it was "unnecessary violence." In addition, Geschwindner advised Nowitzki to play a musical instrument and read literature to give him a more realistic appearance.

The coach was so impressed with Nowitzki's development that he told him, "You must now choose whether you want to compete against the best in the world or remain a German hero." We will stop training immediately if you choose the latter because no one will stop doing it anymore. However, if you want to compete against the best in the world, we must train on a daily basis." Nowitzki, who was debating this life decision for two days, has decided to return to a full-time training program, focusing on his future international careers. Geschwindner let him train seven days a week with DJK Würzburg players and future German nationals Robert Garrett, Marvin Willoughby, and Demond Greene, and in the summer of 1994, then 16-year-old Nowitzki joined the DJK squad.

Personal life

Nowitzki's older sister, Silke Nowitzki, described him as a strong but low-key character, unspoiled by wealth and fame. He loves reading and playing the saxophone. Nowitzki passed his Abitur examination at Würzburg's Röntgen Gymnasium Grammar School. He founded the Dirk Nowitzki Foundation, a non-profit that aims to combat poverty in Africa.

Nowitzki dated Sybille Gerer, a female basketball player from his hometown team DJK Würzburg. The partnership started in 1992 and lasted for ten years before finally ending in 2002; Nowitzki said, "We found out we developed in separate ways at the end." ... It didn't work anymore, but we are still good friends." "I certainly want to start a family and have children, but I can't imagine it happening before I reach the age of 30."

Nowitzki started dating Jessica Olsson, the sister of Swedish footballers Martin Olsson and Marcus Olsson. The two couples married in Dallas on July 20, 2012. They have a daughter who was born in July 2013 and two sons who were born in March 2015 and November 2016. Despite the fact that Nowitzki has considered applying for citizenship in the United States, the fact remains that he is still a German national.

Nowitzki acknowledged his close ties to his mentor Holger Geschwindner, whom he described as his closest friend. Steve Nash, his ex-coworker, is also a good friend. "We were both joining a new club, living in a new town, we were single and strangers; this builds a community," Nash said of playing with Nowitzki. "He made life for me and him much simpler." "He may have also become a good friend if we had met at the supermarket," Nowitzki explained.

Nowitzki is a keen Arsenal fan and a ardent fan of Arsenal F.C.

Source

Professional career

DJK began playing in Germany's second-tier league, the Second Bundesliga, South Division, when Nowitzki joined the team. Pit Stahl, his first coach, portrayed the tall teenager as an outside-scoring forward rather than an inside-scoring center in order to use his shooting skills. In the 1994-1995 Bundesliga season, the ambitious DJK finished sixth out of 12 teams; the rookie Nowitzki was often suspended and struggled with poor school results, requiring him to study rather than working on his football. Nowitzki established himself as a starter next to Finnish star forward Martti Kuisma and soon became a regular double-digit scorer in a DJK game, according to German national basketball coach Dirk Bauermann, who said "Dirk Nowitzki is the best German basketball talent of the last 10, maybe 15 years."

Nowitzki averaged 19.4 points per game in the 1996-97 Second Bundesliga season, leading DJK to second place after the regular season, but his team did not have to help his team win promotion. Nowitzki's "Abitur" (Germany), the 91-year-old's first season, he was a success in the second Bundesliga season from September 1, 1997 to 1998, but the DJK needed to complete compulsory military service in the Bundeswehr, which culminated in a loss of 0:2) and ending as the leading scorer with 28.2 points per game. DJK finally broke its hex by finishing first place with 14:2 points and earning promotion to the next higher league; Nowitzki was named "German Basketballer of the Year" by the German BASKET newspaper.

Nowitzki's progress was noted in Abroad. The teen competed in the Nike "Hoop Heroes Tour" a year later, defeating NBA stars Charles Barkley and Scottie Pippen. Nowitzki defeated Barkley and even dunked on them in a 30-minute game match, prompting the former to say, "The boy is a genius." If he wants to play in the NBA, he can call me." Nowitzki was selected to compete in the Nike Hoop Summit on March 29, 1998, one of the best talent watches in U.S. men's basketball. Nowitzki scored 33 points on 6-of-12 shooting, 14 rebounds, and 3 steals for the nationals, as well as outplayed future NBA players Rashard Lewis and Al Harrington. He impressed with his quickness, ball control, and shooting range, and a number of European and NBA clubs had applied to recruit him from that point.

Nowitzki, who was supposed to be the seventh pick in the 1998 NBA draft, turned down numerous college offers and joined the NBA as a prep-to-pro player. The Milwaukee Bucks selected Nowitzki with the ninth pick in the draft and sent him to the Dallas Mavericks in a multi-team contract; future star point guard Steve Nash came from Dallas in the same trade. Nowitzki and Nash became close friends right away. Nowitzki became the fourth German player to play in NBA history, after pivots like Uwe Blab and Christian Welp, as well as All-Star swingman Detlef Schrempf, who was a 35-year-old Seattle SuperSonics player Detlef Schrempf, who was only the fourth German player to play. Nowitzki retired as the only Würzburg player to have ever made the NBA.

Nowitzki was a member of a franchise in Dallas who had not made the playoffs since 1990. Michael Finley, a firearms guard, captained the team, who was aided by 7-foot-6-inch (2.29 m) center Shawn Bradley (once the number two draft pick) and team scoring leader Cedric Ceballos, an ex-Laker forward, was borne out. The season was postponed by the 1998-99 NBA lockout, putting the entire season in jeopardy. Nowitzki returned to DJK Würzburg and played thirteen games before both teams agreed to a late compromise contract that resulted in a reduced NBA schedule of 50 games. Nowitzki struggled when the season finally began. The 20-year-old, who was drafted as a number nine pick and played poorly, was humiliated by his inability as a power forward and played poorly; hecklers booed him as "Irk Nowitzki" in basketball slang; omitting the word "defense" in basketball slang. In 20.4 minutes of playing time, he only averaged 8.2 points and 3.4 rebounds. "I was so ill, even considered returning to Germany," Nowitzki said. [The jump from Second Bundesliga to NBA] was similar to jumping out of an airplane in the hopes that the parachute would somehow open." The Mavericks have only won 19 of their 50 games and missed the playoffs.

Ross Perot Jr., the team's founder, sold the Mavericks to Internet billionaire Mark Cuban for $280 million on January 4, 2000. Cuban invested heavily into the Mavericks and restructured the company, playing every game at the sidelines, buying the team a $46 million Boeing 757 to travel in, and raising franchise income to over $100 million. Nowitzki lauded Cuban, saying that he had "created the perfect atmosphere... we just need to get out and win." Nowitzki's second season was a result of Nelson's tutelage, Cuban's advancements, and his own development. In 35.8 minutes, Nowitzki averaged 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game. He was named runner-up in the NBA Most Improved Player Award behind Jalen Rose and was named in the NBA All-Star Sophomore squad for the second time. Nowitzki's 7-foot-inch (2.13 m) was also selected for the Three-Point Contest, becoming the longest player to compete. Although he excelled on an individual basis, the Mavericks missed the playoffs after a weak 40-42 record.

Nowitzki's averages in the 2000-01 NBA season have increased his averages, boasting 291.8 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. As a sign of his increasing fame, he joined team captain Finley as the only one of the two Mavericks to play and start in all 82 games, winning ten games in which he scored at least 30 points. Nowitzki was the first Maverick to be elected into the All-NBA squads, making the Third Team the first Maverick to be named. In addition, Nash's best friend was a valuable point guard, and pundits began referring to this trio as the "Big Three" of the Mavericks, with Finley scoring more than ever.

The Mavericks advanced to the playoffs for the first time since 1990, posting a 53–29 record in the regular season. They were paired against the Utah Jazz, led by point guard John Stockton and power forward Karl Malone as the fifth seed. The Mavericks won the series in five games, setting up a match against their Texas rivals, the San Antonio Spurs. After a collision with Spurs guard Terry Porter, the Mavericks lost the first three games of the season, and Nowitzki was sick with the flu and later lost a tooth. Nowitzki had 42 points and grabbed 18 rebounds in Game 5 after a Game 4 win, but he was unable to prevent a deciding 105–87 loss.

Nowitzki signed a six-year, $90 million contract extension, making him the second-highest-paid German athlete after Formula One champion Michael Schumacher in 2001. He continued to improve, with 23.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game. Nowitzki was elected into the All-NBA Second Team and his first All-Star Game. The Mavericks beat Kevin Garnett and the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round after making the playoffs for the first time; Nowitzki averaged 33.3 points per game. The Mavericks met the Sacramento Kings and rival power forward Chris Webber in the second round. Kings coach Rick Adelman modified his defensive scheme after splitting the first two games, assigning Hedo Türkolu to cover Nowitzki. Türkoilu will play Nowitzki closely, and if the taller Maverick wanted to post up Türkolu, Webber would double team Nowitzki. The Mavericks lost 125–119 in Game 3 in Dallas; Nowitzki added 19 points and said, "I simply couldn't pass Türko'lu, and if I did, I ran into a double team and committed too many turnovers." In Game 4, Nowitzki missed two potentially game-deciding jump shots, and the Mavericks lost 115–113, at home. The Mavericks were defeated, 114–101, in Game 5 of Game 5. However, Nowitzki was given a consolation award by the Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper, who named him as the "European Basketballer of the Year" after his 104 votes over second-placed Dejan Bodiroga (54) and Stojakovic (50).

Don Nelson and Mark Cuban put more emphasis on defense during the 2002-03 NBA season, specializing in a zone anchored by prolific shotblockers Raef LaFrentz and Shawn Bradley. The Mavericks won their first fourteen games, and Finley, Nash, and Nowitzki were named "Western Conference Players of the Month" in November 2002. Nowitzki's averages have risen in the ensuing season, now scoring 25.1 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game. He led the Mavericks to a franchise-high 60-22 record, earning them their third seed, but the Mavericks were forced to face the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2003 NBA Playoffs. The Mavericks exploded in the first three games as a result of their former best-of-five series rather than the former best-of-five. Nowitzki made it 100-94 with 1:21 left in Game 7, and the Mavericks won 107–95. "I was not able to go on holiday that early," he later said. The Mavericks met the Kings again in the second round, and the series went seven games. Nowitzki put on a good showing in Game 7; he scored 30 points, grabbed 19 rebounds, and played solid defense, leading the Mavericks to a series-determining 112–99 victory. The Mavericks also met the Spurs again in the Western Conference Finals. Nowitzki recovered after a game 3 and Spurs guard Manu Ginóbili collided with his knee, resulting in his suspension. The Mavericks also lost in six games due to their top scorer.

Since Dallas traded starting center Raef LaFrentz to Boston for forward Antoine Walker, Nelson decided to start Nowitzki at center. Nowitzki put on 20 lb (9.1 kg) of muscle mass over the summer, sacrificed a portion of his agility, and put more emphasis on defense rather than scoring to compensate for his more physical presence. Nowitzki's averages dropped for the first time in his career, dropping to 21.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game, but the Mavericks maintained their offensive success, winning, blocking, and blocks (1.35 bpg). These individuals received awards for the All-Star Game and the All-NBA Third Team. The Mavericks faced their old adversaries the Sacramento Kings in the playoffs once more, but they were disqualified in five games, compiling a 52–30 record.

The Mavericks were re-tooled again before the 2004–05 NBA season. Erick Dampier was drafted from the Golden State Warriors in an eight-player trade. Also, Nowitzki's close friend and fellow international teammate Steve Nash left Dallas and returned to the Phoenix Suns as a free agent, winning two Most Valuable Player awards with the Suns. Don Nelson, the long-serving head coach, resigned early this season, and his assistant Avery Johnson took over coaching duties. Nowitzki stepped up his game and averaged 26.1 points per game (a career high) and 9.7 rebounds, as well as his 1.5 blocks and 3.1 assists were all career-high figures. Nowitzki scored 53 points in an overtime win over the Houston Rockets on December 2, 2004, a career high. For the first time, Nowitzki was accepted into the All-NBA First Team. He also finished third in the league's MVP competition, behind Nash and Shaquille O'Neal.

Nevertheless, the Mavericks had a subpar 2005 NBA Playoffs campaign. Dallas' first round center Yao Ming defeated Houston Rockets scoring champion Tracy McGrady and 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m) center Yao Ming. Before the Mavericks took three games in a row, the Rockets had a 2–0 series lead. Despite losing Game 6, Dallas won Game 7 on a convincing way and took the series even though Nowitzki struggled with his shootings. The Mavericks defeated the Phoenix Suns, the new club of Nash, in the Western Conference Semi-finals. Before the Suns claimed the last two games, the Suns split the first four games. Nowitzki was not at his best in Game 6, but he did sink only 9 of his 25 field goal attempts and missed all five of his shots in overtime, but the Mavericks lost in overtime.

Michael Finley, a veteran Mavericks captain, was suspended prior to the 2005-06 NBA season, leaving Nowitzki as the last player from the Mavericks' "Big Three" of Nash, Finley, and himself. During the season, Nowitzki averaged 26.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. Not only was this his third 2,000-point season, but his scoring average of 26.6 points was the highest by a European ever. He improved his shooting percentage, shooting personal records in field goals (48.0%), three-point shots (40.6%), and free throws (90.1%). Nowitzki scored 18 points to top Seattle SuperSonics guard Ray Allen and Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas in the Three-Point Tournament in Houston during the 2006 All-Star Weekend.

Nowitzki led Dallas to a 60-win season. The team finished third best in the league behind the defending champion San Antonio Spurs and the defending Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons. He came in third third in the league's MVP rankings this season, behind Nash and LeBron James. He was later selected to the first team of the All-NBA squad. In the playoffs, Nowitzki averaged 27.0 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. The Mavericks thrashed the Memphis Grizzlies 4–0 in the first round, with Nowitzki delivering a crucial three-pointer in Game 3's final seconds that tied the game and prompted overtime. The Mavericks defeated the San Antonio Spurs again in the Western Conference Semi-finals. After splitting the first six games, the Mavericks took a 20-point lead in Game 7 before Spur Manu Ginóbili broke a tie at 101 by hitting a 3 with 30 seconds remaining. Nowitzki completed a three-point play on the next play, tying the game at 104. The Mavericks won 119–111, and Nowitzki ended the game with 37 points and 15 rebounds. "I don't know how the ball went in," Nowitzki said. My hand was harmed by Manu's. It was a lucky bounce." The Mavericks advanced to the Western Conference Finals, where they met the Suns for the second time. Nowitzki scored 50 points to lead the Mavericks to victory in Game 5 with the series tied at 2; the Mavericks won the series in six games and met the Miami Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals. "We've been a good road team all season long," Nowitzki said, "We believe in each other." This season, we've seen some ups and downs, but the playoffs are all about showing heart and playing together." "Dirk is playing at a higher level than any forward since [Larry] Bird," ESPN columnist Bill Simmons wrote about Nowitzki's success.

The Mavericks led early in the Game 3 loss but then gave up a late 15-point lead. While the Mavericks lost the Finals series, 4–2, to the Heat, Nowitzki made 20 of his last 55 shots in the final three games. ESPN blasted the German as "not as good as his best this series" and said, "That was a tough loss (in Game 3) and really changed the whole tone of the game."

Nowitzki shot a career-best 52% from the field, compiled averages of 24.6 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 3.4 assists, guiding the Mavericks to a franchise-best 67 wins and the No. 67 in the 2006-07 season. In the 2007 NBA Playoffs, the Western Conference has been seeded number one. He played 50% from the field, 40% for three-pointers, and 90% from the free-throw line, marking only the fifth player in NBA history to join the 50–40–90 club. Nowitzki was widely favored for the Most Valuable Player award, and he was expected to lead the Mavericks to a close win over the eighth-seed Golden State Warriors, despite the Warriors' winning all three regular-season games against Dallas. However, the Mavericks lost in six games to the Warriors for the first time. The No. 8 seed had defeated the No. 1 in the No. 1 field. In a best-of-seven series in NBA history, the 1 seed has been seated. Nowitzki shot just 2-13 from the field for just eight points in the clinching Game 6. Nowitzki was convicted by Stephen Jackson of nearly five points less than his regular-season average in the series and shot 38.3% from the field in comparison to 52% during the regular season. "I couldn't put my stamp on it the way I wanted to," he referred to it as a low point in his career: "I'm really sad" because of that. Despite this epic playoffs loss, Nowitzki was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player of the Year and gained more than 100 votes over his companion and back-to-back NBA MVP Nash. He also became the first European player to be honoured in NBA history.

The 2007–08 season saw Nowitzki and the Mavericks miss out in the first round playoffs for the first time. Despite a mid-season trade that brought veteran NBA All-Star Jason Kidd to Dallas, the Mavericks finished seventh in a highly competitive Western Conference. Nowitzki had 23.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and a career-high 3.5 assists for the season. They were eliminated in five games by rising star Chris Paul's New Orleans Hornets in the playoffs, and were defeated in five games. Avery Johnson was fired as head coach after the playoff loss, and Rick Carlisle was spotted as a potential recruiter. Nowitzki's first three-double against the Milwaukee Bucks on February 6, 2008, with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and a career-high 12 assists, and his first career triple-double against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 8, 2008 (34 points against the New Jersey Nets), the Mavericks' all-time career points leader, with his 16 points against Rolando Blackman.

Nowitzki had averaging of 25.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in the 2008–09 NBA season. He came in fourth in scoring and his fourth All-NBA First Team pick. He made his ninth appearance in the 2009 All-Star game. After a slow 2–7 start, Nowitzki led Dallas to a close finish in the West, finishing 50-32 for the season (6th in the West). The German led Dallas to an upset victory over long-time rival San Antonio (the third seed) and the first-round series, 4–1. In the second round, the Mavericks fell short of the Denver Nuggets, 4–1, with Nowitzki averaging 34.4 points, 11.6 rebounds, and 4 assists in the series.

The Mavericks were ranked second seed for the 2010 NBA Playoffs in the 2009–2010 NBA season from 2009 to 2010. Multiple All-Stars Shawn Marion and Caron Butler were among the notable additions to the squad, with the latter joining in the second half of the season. Nowitzki scored his 34th NBA player and first European, hitting the 20,000-point mark on January 13, 2010, while others saw averages of 25 points, 7.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1 block. He was selected to the 2010 All-Star Game for the ninth time. In the first round of the playoffs, the Mavericks met San Antonio once more, but the Mavericks failed to advance to the next round for the third time in four seasons. Nowitzki became a free agent after the season, but he decided to stay in Dallas for four years and $80 million.

The Mavericks cut center Tyson Chandler before the 2010-11 season. Nowitzki was ill in the middle of the season, but he ended the season with 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists. Despite missing nine games, Nowitzki was selected to the All-Star Game for the tenth time. In the Conference Semifinals, the Mavericks defeated Portland in the first round of the playoffs and swept the Lakers, the two-time champions. They met the Oklahoma City Thunder and their All-NBA duo Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in the Conference Finals. Nowitzki scored 48 points in a game, as well as a record for the most free throws in a game without a win. Nowitzki scored 40 points to lift his team from a 99–84 fourth-quarter deficit to a 112–105 overtime victory in Game 4, with Dallas leading the series 2–1. In Game Five, Dallas captured the Western Conference championship.

Dallas defeated the Miami Heat, who had acquired All-Stars LeBron James and Chris Bosh before the season began. Nowitzki tore a tendon in his left middle finger during a Game 1 loss in Miami; however, MRIs were negative, and Nowitzki promised that the injury would not be a factor. He led a Dallas rally from an 88–73 fourth-quarter deficit, making a driving left-handed layoff over Bosh to tie the series at 1. Since Nowitzki missed a potential game-tying shot at the end of Game 3, Miami took a 2–1 series lead. Despite having a 101 °F (38 °C) fever in Game 4, he won the basketball tie for the fourth time in the series, drawing comparisons to Michael Jordan's "Flu Game" against Utah in the 1997 NBA Finals. Dallas went on to win the next two games, with Nowitzki scoring 10th quarter points in the series-clinching game in Miami. The championship was the first in the franchise's history. Nowitzki was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.

The NBA was in a lockout that ended on December 8, 2011 as Dallas celebrated their titles. While adding Lamar Odom, Delonte West, and veteran all-star Vince Carter, the defending champions lost key players, including DeShawn Stevenson, J. B. Barea, Peja Stojakovi, and Tyson Chandler, along with former All-Star Vince Carter in free agency. The Mavericks only played two preseason games, resulting in a slow start for Nowitzki. Nowitzki was playing in Orlando for his 11th straight All-Star game appearance. During the season, Nowitzki led his team in scoring 45 times. Nowitzki's streak of 11 seasons with 1,500 points came to an end after scoring 1,342 in the shortened NBA season. In the 2012 NBA Playoffs, Dallas earned the seventh position in the West and was matched against the Oklahoma City Thunder. In four games, the Thunder crushed the Mavericks.

Jason Kidd and Jason Terry, the Mavericks' free agency, were released before the season. Nowitzki underwent knee surgery in October 2012 and missed the first 27 games of the season. In a game against San Antonio on December 23, 2012, he returned to action. Nowitzki and some of his coworkers decided not to shave their beards until the team reached.500. Nowitzki became the 17th player in NBA history to score 25,000 points in a game against the New Orleans Hornets on April 14, 2013. The Mavs won the game and climbed to.500 with a 40–40 record, while Nowitzki shaved his beard. However, the Mavericks missed the playoffs for the first time since Nowitzki's second season, snaping their 12-year playoff streak.

Nowitzki scored his 26,000th point in a 115–117 loss to the Houston Rockets on January 29, 2014. He had 38 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 assists in 35 minutes of play. Nowitzki scored 31 points in the game against the Utah Jazz on March 12, 2014, beating John Havlicek on the NBA scoring list by 26,426 points. Nowitzki scored his 26,712nd point on the all-time scoring list on April 8, 2014. Nowitzki led the Mavericks back to the playoffs, where they defeated the San Antonio Spurs in the first round. Dallas lost the series in seven games, but the Spurs went on to win the NBA championship.

Nowitzki re-signed with the Mavericks on July 15, 2014, earning a three-year, $25 million contract. Tyson Chandler, the former champion teammate who was transferred to Dallas after a three-year stint with New York, was also reunited with him. Shawn Marion, a long-time teammate, however, signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers before the season.

The Mavericks defeated Sacramento, 106–98, on November 11, 2014, with Nowitzki scoring 23 points to tie for the highest-scoring player born outside of the United States over Hakeem Olajuwon. Nowitzki took a jumper from just inside the three-point line in the fourth quarter to Olajuwon at No. 82. He was 9 years old on Monday and made the night out of 26,953 career points. Nowitzki made history by becoming the fourth NBA player to reach over 27,000 career points with the same franchise, with Michael Jordan, Karl Malone, and Kobe Bryant. Nowitzki defeated Elvin Hayes for eighth place on the NBA's all-time scoring list on December 26 against the Los Angeles Lakers. In a 96-88 overtime victory over the Brooklyn Nets, he advanced to seventh place on the NBA's all-time scoring list on January 5, 2015. On March 24, he saw his 10,000th career comeback against the San Antonio Spurs, and his second appearance against the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 1 was his 28,000th career goal.

The Mavericks were ranked No. 68 in the regular season at No. 9 during the regular season. With a record of 50–32, the 7 seed in the Western Conference has a record. They lost the series in five games to the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs.

Nowitzki scored a season-high 31 points in a 118-108 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on November 11, 2015. He also grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds and surpassed former teammate Shawn Marion for 15th on the all-time rebounding list. Nowitzki advanced to sixth place on the NBA's career scoring list on December 23, and the Mavericks defeated the Brooklyn Nets 119-118. On February 21, he scored 18 points against the Philadelphia 76ers, making him the sixth player in NBA history to reach 29,000 points in his career. In a 132-120 overtime victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on March 20, he set a new season high with 40 points. It was his first game since January 2014, and the first by a 37-year-old since Karl Malone in 2000–01.

Nowitzki defeated Elgin Baylor (3,623 points) in Game 4 of the NBA's first-round playoff series against the Oklahoma City Thunder, placing him 15th on the NBA's career playoff standings list. The Mavericks lost the series from four games to one.

Nowitzki re-signed with the Mavericks on July 27, 2016. With Achilles tendon injuries, Nowitzki missed several games early in the season. Nowitzki became the sixth NBA player to reach 30,000 regular-season points on March 7, 2017. He was also the first international player to reach the point and one of just three players to score all 30,000-plus with one team, the others being Karl Malone (University Jazz) and Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers). The Mavericks finished the season with a 33–49 record and missed the NBA Playoffs.

Nowitzki exercised his freedom as a free agent after the 2016-17 season; the Mavericks were able to re-sign him for less money and be able to locate other free agents.

Nowitzki re-signed with the Mavericks on a two-year, $10 million contract (with a team option on the second year). Nowitzki became the sixth NBA player to reach 50,000 career minutes on February 5, 2018. Nowitzki reached 31,000 career points on February 28, 2018, after losing 111-110 overtime to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Nowitzki played in his 1,463rd game against the Brooklyn Nets on March 17, 2018, defeating Kevin Garnett to fifth place in the NBA career rankings. After appearing in 77 of the first 78 games, he had season-ending ankle surgery on April 5th. The Mavericks ended the season with a 24–58 record and missed the NBA Playoffs for the second season.

Nowitzki re-signed with the Mavericks in 2018-19 on July 23, 2018. With his season debut on December 13, 2018, he set a record for the most seasons played with the same team (21), tying with Kobe Bryant, who spent 20 seasons with the Lakers. He also became the fifth NBA player to play 21 seasons, tying a record. Nowitzki was invited to his 14th All-Star game as a special team roster addition. Nowitzki reached his sixth-highest scoring player of all time on March 18, 2019, defeating Wilt Chamberlain's 31,419 points in a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans. Nowitzki scored 30 points in his team's last home game of the season, defeating the Phoenix Suns in 120–109 on April 9, but Detlef Schrempf, Larry Bird, Shawn Kemp, Scottie Pippen, and Detlef Schrempf all appeared on the court to give laudatory remarks for Nowitzki. In a 105-94 loss to the Spurs, he played his last NBA game, scoring 20 points and ten rebounds for his second day in a double-double.

National team career

In 1997, Nowitzki began playing for the German national basketball team. In his debut tournament, the 21-year-old rookie rose to the top German scorer in 1999, but Germany fell to seventh place and did not qualify for the 2000 Olympic Games. Nowitzki was the best scorer in the EuroBasket 2001 with 28.7 points per game, and just barely missed out the MVP award to Serbian player Peja Stojakovi. Germany advanced to the semifinals and was close to defeating host Turkey, but the Turks eventually defeated the Turks in overtime after Hedo Türkoolu tied for three points. Germany lost by 99–90 against Spain, and did not gain a medal. However, Nowitzki led the tournament in both statistics and was voted to the All-Star team, with averages of 28.7 points and 9.1 rebounds. The German basketball team's first home, with up to 3.7 million television viewers, a record for German basketball.

Nowitzki earned his first medal when he led Germany to a bronze medal in the 2002 FIBA World Championships. Spain was up 52–46 after three quarters, but Nowitzki scored 10 points in the last quarter, leading Germany to a 7–62 victory. Though his team was defeated by Manu Ginóbili in the semi-finals, the South Americans prevailed, 86–80. In the consolation finals, the Germans defeated New Zealand 117–94, and Nowitzki, the tournament's top scorer, (24.0 points per game), was named the tournament MVP. Over four million television viewers followed the games in Germany, an all-time record in German basketball history.

Nowitzki sustained a foot injury in a match with French player Florent Piétrus in 2003; as a result, Nowitzki played inconsistently and was also a target of hard fouls. Deutschland lost 86-84, placed ninth in the decisive second-round match against Italy (only the winner was allowed to participate in the medal round) and did not qualify for the 2004 Olympic Games. Nowitzki averaged 22.5 points per game (third overall), but overall, the game seemed to lack energy and dominance due to his injury.

Nowitzki led a depleted German squad into the Finals in the EuroBasket 2005, defeating champion Slovenia and Spain in the quarterfinals and semi-finals. In both matches: against Slovenia (76–62), the forward scored a game-high 22 points and said, "The Slovenians underestimated us." We were the team they wanted and that was wrong, but they should not do that in the quarter-finals." Nowitzki scored a game-high 27 points and scored the decisive basket against Spain (74–73), but with just a few seconds to go, he put down a baseline jump shot over Garbajosa's outstretched arms with 3.9 seconds to go. "It was indescribable," the German later said. I'm kind of pulled back to the baseline, so I went with it." Despite losing the Finals, 78–62, Nowitzki was the tournament's top scorer (26.1 per game), second-leading rebounder (10.6 per game), and shot blocker (1.9 per game), and he was also named the Most Valuable Player of the Tournament. Nowitzki received a standing ovation from the crowd when he was disqualified from the final, which he later described as "one of [his] career's] finest times" later in his career. The German team received a silver medal.

Nowitzki led the German team to their eighth position in the 2006 FIBA World Championships, adding, "It's tough luck." But finishing eighth in the world is not bad."

Nowitzki led Germany to fifth place in the EuroBasket 2007, in which the top three teams automatically qualified for the 2008 Olympics. With 24.0 points per game, he was the top scorer. While Germany fell short of direct qualification, the fifth place was still eligible to participate in the 2008 Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Nowitzki led Germany into a close match against Puerto Rico for the last remaining slot. He scored a game-high 32 points in this 96-82 victory, which sent the German basketball team to their first Olympics since the 1992 Summer Olympics. At the 2008 Olympics' Opening Certification, Nowitzki was selected to be the flag bearer for the German Olympic Team. Nowitzki led the German team to a tenth-place finish and 8.4 rebounds for the tournament.

Nowitzki skipped the EuroBasket 2009 in 2009, 2009. He said in July 2010 that he would not attend the 2010 FIBA World Championships. Nowitzki was a member of the German National Basketball Association in summer 2011, where the team finished ninth in the EuroBasket 2011. Nowitzki captained Germany at the EuroBasket in 2015, defeating them in the Eurobasket. On home soil, they played only one game and were eliminated in the group stage. Nowitzki officially announced his departure from Germany's national team in January 2016. He averaged 19.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game during his time with Germany's senior men's national team.

Nowitzki was voted the Best European Basketball Player of the Year by the Italian sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport for five years from 2002 to 2011, and then again in 2011. He was also named Mister Europa Player of the Year by the Italian sports magazine Superbasket in 2005 and 2011, and the FIBA Europe Men's Player of the Year twice in 2005 and 2011.

In September 2022, the German Basketball Federation (DBB) honored Nowitzki with a jersey (number 14) retirement, ahead of EuroBasket 2022. The service took place in Cologne on September 2 right before Germany's EuroBasket opening game against France. Also, DBB has confirmed that a recreation of Nowitzki's national team jersey will hang from the arena rafters at all future Germany men's home games.

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