As the player that assisted the Dallas Mavericks in winning numerous championships, Dirk Nowitzki is a name that every NBA basketball fan should be familiar with. He also becomes one of the NBA’s most prosperous players. He had the option of playing several different sports, but he chose basketball because of his unusual height and athletic family.
Quick facts about Dirk Nowitzki
| Real/Full Name | Dirk Nowitzki |
| Gender | Male |
| Famous name | Dirk Werner Nowitzki |
| Nickname | Dirk Diggler Dunking Deutschman The German Wunderkind The Germanator |
| Date of Birth | June 19, 1978 |
| Age | 44 Years Old |
| Residence | Dallas, Würzburg, Bavaria |
| Place of Birth | Würzburg, West Germany |
| Nationality | German |
| Current living city | Würzburg, Germany |
| Height | 7’0″, (2.13 m), or (213 cm) |
| Weight | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| Eye Color | Grey |
| Hair Color | Brown |
| Zodiac Sign | Gemini |
| Occupation | German professional basketball player |
| Drafted by | The Milwaukee Bucks with No. 9 overall pick in round 1 of the 1998 NBA Draft |
| Position | Power Forward |
| Jersey Number | 41 (Mavericks) |
| NBA Seasons | 21 (15 Playoffs) |
| NBA Titles | 1 Championship |
| All-Star: | 14 times |
| Net worth | $140 million |
| Salary | $22.7 Million |
| Father’s Name | Jorg Werner |
| Mother’s Name | Helga Nowitzki |
| Marital Status | Yes |
| Married Year | 2012 |
| Wife Name | Jessica Olsson |
| Children | Malaika Nowitzki, Max Nowitzki, Morris Nowitzki |
| Sister | Silke Nowitzki |
| Ex-girlfriend | Sybille Gere dated for 10 years |
| School/ college | Röntgen High School Würzburg |
| Religion | CHRISTIAN |
| Ethnicity/Race | White |
| Team plays | Dallas Mavericks |
| Playing Career | 1994-2019 |
| Food Habit | Non- Veg. |
| Social media presence | Twitter 3.5 million followers Facebook: 2,783,721 followers Instagram: 1 million followers |
| Merch | Rookie Card, Jersey, German Jersey, Autographed Items,2.5” Action Figure, Poster, and Canvas Arts |
| Last Update | July, 2022 |
Net Worth
Basketball player Dirk Nowitzki, who was born in Germany and is now retired, has a net worth of $140 million. During his 21-season NBA career, Dirk made a salary of $25 million alone. He now holds the sixth-highest salary of any NBA player in history. You may also like DJ Rodman
Birth, age, education, and family details for Dirk Nowitzki
On June 19, 1978, Dirk Nowitzki was born in Würzburg, a city in western Germany. He was one of the best players because of his parents, who were both professional sports. Helga Nowitzki, a former professional basketball player, is his mother. His father, Jorg Werner, was a handball player for the German national team.
At Würzburg’s Röntgen High School, Dirk Nowitzki finished his elementary schooling. However, there is not enough information available on his college- and graduate-level schooling. Additionally, Silke Nowitzki, who was born on July 12, 1974, is Nowitzki’s sister. Roland Mayer is her husband. She was also her brother’s former manager and a former basketball player for the German national team.
Jessica, Dirk Nowitzki’s wife
In 2012, Dirk and Jessica Olsson were legally wed in a Dallas, Texas, family home after first having a traditional wedding at Nanyuki. In February 2010, he first encountered her at a fundraising occasion for the SEED initiative (Sports for Education and Economic Growth). She had been employed by the Dallas Art Gallery at that particular moment.
Each of them has been in love ever since that winter night. And as of right now, they are parents to three kids named Malaika, Max, and Morris Nowitzki.
In Jessica, what did Dirk discover?
According to Dirk’s remark and Dallas News, the two merely got along intellectually. Martin Waikwa and Marcus Munuhe Olsson, Jessica’s brothers, both played soccer, and Jessica loved both the arts and athletics. Mentally, physically, and spiritually, there was a connection. It’s interesting that a test was administered at the wedding to determine how well they knew one another.
Among five ladies who were completely covered from head to toe, Dirk had to find Jessica, and guess what? He did so with the aid of her height and perfume. The seasoned basketball player also claimed that nobody has ever confronted him about his wife’s race.
We were usually surrounded by people of many races while growing up in Germany and playing basketball. Half of my teammates on the national squad, with whom I played, were from Yugoslavia. For me, race or color never really mattered, and that’s another wonderful thing about athletics. A team, you are. Marriage is the same. You work as a unit.
How many children does Dirk Nowitzki have?
Dirk has always had this intense want to have children, to adore them, and to spend time with them. They did not know how to respond when they had their first child, Malaika, in their arms and had to take her from the hospital for the first time. Yes, Dirk and Jessica were responsible enough as new parents, but they also lacked the necessary level of readiness. Who, then, is sufficiently prepared? Just give it some time and practice.
Finally, Morris Nopwitzki and Max Nowitzki arrived in their lives in 2014 and 2016, respectively. In addition, Lenny, the son of Dirk’s sister Sikke, and Layla, her daughter, adore playing with Malaika. Lenny enjoys shooting hoops with crazy Uncle Dirk. Sometimes it’s unbelievable to see a professional athlete transition into a full-time mom, changing diapers and everything.
Height, weight, and nationality
Dirk is a former basketball player from Germany who is a citizen of that country. Referring to his height once more, he is 7’0″ (2.13 m), or (213 cm). His weight of 245 lb (111 kg), which is the perfect match for his height and makes him the coolest basketball player, is also impressive.
Dirk Nowitzki’s Childhood
Nowitzki and Silke Nowitzki were raised with their parents. Even as a small child, he was always a tall lad, and he towered over his peers. Tennis and handball were Dirk’s two main sports of interest. But he quickly started playing basketball, where tall athletes were well-known.
When he was 15 years old, German basketball player Holger Geschwindner recognized Dirk. After that, he was instructed by Geschwindner three times per week with an emphasis on shooting and passing. As a result, Nowitzki earned a place on the DJK Würzburg basketball team in Germany at the age of 16. When Nowitzki reached a certain size, Geschwindner asked him whether he wanted to continue playing basketball and facing up against the finest players in the world in Germany.
For instance, Nowitzki made the decision to remain and intensified his training in order to be ready for the game’s regular sessions. Additionally, Nowitzki cherished Sybille Gerer, a female basketball player for his DJK Würzburg neighborhood team. Their ten-year relationship, which started in 1992 and ended in 2002, lasted from that time.
Dirk Nowitzki has a successful career.
A well-known figure in NBA basketball, Dirk Nowitzki is regarded as one of the most gifted and successful players to come out of Europe. He began playing basketball when he was just 13 years old. Due to his exceptional natural talent and performance, he also played with DJK Wurzburg in a second-division German professional team at the age of 16.
When Nowitzki scored 33 points in an exhibition game in San Antonio, Texas, in 1998, NBA scouts took notice. He overcame American high school stars while captaining a group of international players, all of them were under the age of 19. He was chosen by the Italian sports publication Gazzetta Dello Sport to be the Eurostar European Basketball Player of the Year for five consecutive years, from 2002 to 2006 and again in 2011.
The Milwaukee Bucks then selected him with the ninth overall choice in the 1998 NBA Draft. He was later moved to the Dallas Mavericks, though. When transitioning to the NBA’s standard of play during his rookie season, Nowitzki was dissatisfied. But in his second season, he improved his scoring average, and in his fourth season, he was chosen for the All-Star Game.
Nowitzki became a member of the Mavs
When Nowitzki signed with the Mavericks in 1998, the team had gone eight seasons without making the playoffs. However, he was instrumental in Dallas’ 53 victories and postseason run in 2000–01. And that was the first of 11 straight 50-win seasons for the Mavericks, which is one of the longest streaks in league history. In addition, he guided Dallas to its first appearance in the NBA Finals in 2005–2006. (a six-game loss to the Miami Heat).
Similarly, he led the league with 24.6 points per game in 2006-07, contributing to the best record in the league. He consequently received the NBA Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for 2007. In the five years that followed the Mavericks championship, he kept up his remarkable play.
In November 2014, he outscored Hakeem Olajuwon to become the player from outside the United States with the most points in NBA history (26,947). Because of his scoring prowess, quickness, accuracy outside shooting, and distinctive baseline jumper jump shot, Nowitzki won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award in 2007 and the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in 2011.
declining career of Dirk Nowitzki
One cannot live a life filled with the same prosperity and pride. The following seasons saw a steady reduction in his on-court success, and in March 2017 he became just the seventh player in league history to reach the milestone of 30,000 points in a career.
In the same vein, his club finished the 2017–18 season with a 24-58 record, and Nowitzki only averaged 12 points per game, which was his lowest scoring average since his rookie year. Similar to this, his play for Dallas in 2018–19 was diminished, resulting in an average of 15 minutes of playtime and 7 points per game. Therefore, after the conclusion of the season, Nowitzki announced his retirement.
His 31 560 points scored during his NBA career were the sixth-highest total in league history. In addition, Nowitzki was the best scorer and tournament MVP for the German national basketball team throughout international competition, leading them to silver at the 2005 EuroBasket and bronze at the 2002 FIBA World Championship.
Dirk Nowitzki’s Final Game and Retirement
He set an NBA record by finishing more than 20 seasons, being the fifth player to do so. On April 9, Dirk played in the Mavericks’ 120-109 victory over the Phoenix Suns in their final home game of the year. In an emotional ceremony where Charles Barkley, Larry Bird, Shawn Kemp, Scottie Pippen, and Detlef Schrempf all showed up and made speeches in his honor, Dirk scored 30 points, grabbed eight rebounds, and announced his retirement.
When he began experiencing problems with his lower body toward the end of the season, Dirk began to consider retiring for the first time. Additionally, Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, was praised and admired by all despite his silence. I can guarantee you a lot of things, but there are no words that I could possible use to express how I feel about what you meant to our organization. Cuban said.
Additionally, Cuban pledged to retire his jersey number in his honor and erect his largest statue directly in front of the arena. And they still get along well today. After that, Dirk played in his final NBA game, losing to the Spurs 105-94 while recording a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds. Prior to that, on March 18, 2019, Dirk overtook Wilt Chamberlain’s 31,419 points to become the sixth-highest scorer of all time.
Injuries to Dirk Nowitzki
Life is not always inviting, rosy, and warm. Even Dirk experienced challenges and horrible wounds. When Dirk collided knees with San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobli in the 2003 playoffs, it became one of the most talked-about injuries. Don Nelson, the head coach, and Mark Cuban later fell out over the injury.
While Dirk felt at ease moving around and playing, Nellie disagreed with him on a few points. Before Game 4, Nellie expressed her dissatisfaction of some of his actions. Dirk’s claim that he could play was backed up by Cuban and the medical staff. After colliding with Houston’s Carl Landry, Nowitzki missed just one game in the 2009–10 season.
The collision left fragments of Landry’s teeth embedded in Nowitzki’s elbow, making it a strange incident. The Mavericks medical staff had to clean up the blood on the ground and take out the broken teeth, which took more than 30 minutes. Later, during a victory over the Thunder in late December during his 13th season in the NBA, Dirk had knee pain. He came back in time to guide the team to the franchise’s second Finals, but he continues to suffer from injuries.
The extensor tendon on Dirk’s left index finger was torn. He had to wear a splint for the rest of the series as a result of what happened. To sum up, these wounds are simply not it. He experienced numerous ailments, knocks, bruises, and injuries that were not explicitly acknowledged in public.
NBA Finals Dirk Nowitzki Awards and Achievements MVP: 2011
- 2007 NBA Most Valuable Player
- NBA All-Stars from 2002 to 2012 and 2014 to 2015
- 2011–2012 All-NBA Team
- 4 2005–2007, 2009, First Team
- 2002–2003, 2008, and 2010–2011 for the Second Team
- Team 3: 2001, 2004, and 2012
- Champion of the 3-Point Shootout: 2006
- 2010: NBA Shooting Stars champion
- 7th in all-time points scored.
German national basketball team
- 2002 FIBA World Championship MVP, bronze medalist, and top point scorer overall.
- MVP, silver medalist, and leading scorer on the all-tournament team in EuroBasket 2005
- 2006; 2001; FIBA World Championship
- In the 2007 Eurobasket, the German Basketball Federation’s Goldener Ehrenring went to the player with the most points across the entire tournament squad.
- the player with the second-highest point total in Eurobasket history.
- German national basketball team’s all-time leading scorer (2912 points at 141 international games)
- German national basketball team’s coach is called German team of the Year, Outstanding: 2005
Additional accomplishments and highlights
- German League’s 1999 MVP
- Played in six Euroscars from 2002 through 2006 and 2011
- Won Mr. Europa in 2005 and the FIBA Europe Player of the Year Award twice.
- Gained 5 All-European Player of the Year winners from 2005 to 2008 and 2011
- became a flag carrier for the German nation at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, in 2008
- the title of Best NBA Player ESPY Award: 2011 Won Outstanding Team ESPY Award with the Dallas Mavericks: 2011 Won Best Male Athlete ESPY Award
- NBA All-Decade Second Team Second Team Sports Illustrator (2000-2009)
- 2011 Silbernes Lorbeerblatt
- 2011: Awarded German Sports Personality of the Year
- In 2011’s list of the 500 greatest NBA players ever, Dirk came in at number 55
- Awarded the 2012 Naismith Legacy Award
- won the Magic Johnson Award in 2014
Social Media
On social media, Dirk Nowitzki is frequently active. His fans on various social media sites include:
Twitter 3.5 million Followers
Facebook: 3 million Followers
Instagram: 1.1 million Followers
The Dirk Nowitzki FAQ
Who are Dirk Nowitzki’s closest friends?
With his mentor, Holger Geschwindner, whom he regarded as his best buddy, Nowitzki has remained close.
Is Dirk Nowitzki a Hall of Fame player?
The foundation of Dirk Nowitzki’s Hall of Fame career is his shooting. It follows that it is no surprise that his name appears on every list of NBA record scorers.
What is Dirk Nowitzki now doing?
The champion, 42, is currently spending time with his family. He is now able to perform tasks that were previously impossible for him.