Dirk Nowitzki

Background

German-born Dirk Nowitzki was an outstanding junior player who applied for early entry to the 1998 NBA Draft, where he was chosen ninth overall by the Milwaukee Bucks. Immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks where he started slowly but has blossomed into a top player in the league. Has risen to the level of being named the best international player by general manager survey conducted before the 2002-03 season.

The 7-0 forward who at times mans the pivot can strike fear in an opponent when he corrals a rebound and leads the break or prepares to launch a three-point bomb. Named to the 2002 All-NBA Second Team and later that summer earned MVP honors at the 2002 World Championships while paying for his native Germany in Indianapolis.

2005-06:
In 81 games, averaged a career-high 26.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.02 blocks in 38.1 minutes per game…Posted career highs in field goal percentage (48.0%; 751-1564 FGs), 3-point percentage (40.6%; 110-271 3FGs) and free throw percentage (90.1%; 539-598 FTs)…Ranked seventh in scoring, tied for 15th in rebounding, tied for 38th in field goal percentage, 20th in 3-point percentage, fourth in free throw percentage, 31st in blocks and 25th in minutes per game…Did not score below 14 points the entire season…Scored 20 or more 69 times and 30+ 26 times (Dallas 21-5)…Had 35 double-doules, tied for eighth in the league…Led the team in scoring 58 times and in rebounding 40 games…Scored 16 of his game-high 30 points (10-17 FGs, 8-9 FTs) in the fourth quarter while playing 32 minutes vs. the Hornets (12/3/05)…35 points (14-28 FGs) in 39 minutes at Chicago (12/5/05)…35 points (13-29 FGs, 8-9 FTs) before fouling out in 39 minutes at Memphis (12/9/05)…37 points (14-23 FGs, 8-9 FTs) in 40 minutes at Sacramento (12/22/05)…34 point (9-20 FGs, 15-15 FTs) in with a season-high 7 assists in 40 minutes at Seattle (12/23/05)…Set franchise record for most free throws without a miss in a single game…Career-high 7 blocks in 43 minutes at Denver (1/6/06) …Game-high 35 points (14-21 FGs) in 38 minutes vs. Milwaukee (1/16/06)…scored 19 of his game-high 37 points (14-28 FGs) in the third while playing 41 minutes at New Jersey (3/19/06)…38 points (15-27 FGs) in 44 minutes at Orlando (3/31/06)…51 points (16-24 FGs, 16-17 FTs), 9 rebounds and 5 assists vs. Golden State (3/23/06).

2004-05:
In 78 starts, averaged 26.1 points, 3.1 assists and 1.53 blocks while adding 9.7 rebounds and 1.24 steals in 38.7 minutes per game…Shot 45.9% (663-1445 FGs) from the floor, 39.9% (91-228 3FGs) from 3-point range and 86.9% (615-708 FTs) from the line…Missed one game with a sprained ankle on 11/22/04, two games (3/6-3/7/05) with a sore left knee and one game (4/14/05) with a sore left shoulder…Only player to be ranked in the Top 10 in both scoring (fourth) and rebounding (tied for ninth)…One of four players (Kevin Garnett, Shawn Marion and Gerald Wallace) among qualifiers to average at least 1.20 steals and 1.20 blocks…Ranked tied for eighth in the league with 37 double-doubles…Fifth in the NBA in free throw attempts (9.1 per game)…Also ranked 32nd in steals, 21st in blocks, tied for 23rd in 3-point percentage, 12th in free throw percentage and tied for 10th in minutes played…Had 8 combined steals and blocks in the 2005 All-Star Game, the highest total since Michael Jordan in 1988…did not score below double-digits the entire season…Scored 30 points 23 times (Dallas 20-3)…41 points (12-24 FGs, 4-7 3FGs, 13-13 FTs) in 42 minutes at Miami (11/11/04)…32 points (10-27 FGs, 12-13 FTs) and a season-high 18 rebounds in 40 minutes at Memphis (11/27)…Scored a Mavericks franchise-high, American Airlines Center high and career-high 53 points (15-32 FGs, 2-5 3FGs, 21-22 FTs) to go along with 16 rebounds, 3 steals and 4 blocks in 49 minutes vs. Houston (12/2/04)…39 points (14-25 FGs, 4-7 3FGs, 7-9 FTs) in 46 minutes vs. Milwaukee (1/2/05)

2003-04:
Averaged team-highs of 21.8 points, 8.7 rebounds, 1.19 steals and 1.35 blocks along with 2.7 assists in 37.9 minutes in 77 games (all starts)…Led the team in scoring 37 times and rebounding 32 times…Scored in double figures in 71 games, 20 or more in 48 games and 30+ 12 times…Had 31 double- doubles…Shot 46.2% (605-1310 FGs) from the floor, 34.1% (99-290 3FGs) from behind-the-arc and 87.7% (371-423 FTs) from the line…Among league leaders, ranked ninth in scoring, 16th in rebounding, 39th in field goal percentage, tied for eighth in free throw percentage, tied for 38th in steals, 26th in blocks and 21st in minutes per game…Game-high 34 points (14-22 FGs, 3-7 3FGs) in 34 minutes vs. Phoenix (4/3/04)… Game-high 35 points (14-23 FGs, 6-6 FTs) and a season-high 18 rebounds in 42 minutes vs. Cleveland (3/30/04)…34 points (12-23 FGs, 10-12 FTs) and 15 rebounds in 45 minutes at L.A. Clippers (3/14/04)…Career-high 9 steals in at Houston (3/7/04)…Career-high tying 5 blocked shots vs. L.A. Clippers (2/24/04)…Game-high 40 points (15-24 FGs, 3-4 3FGs, 7-8 FTs) vs. Detroit (2/7/04)…Career-high 43 points (16-22 FGs, 8-11 3FGs) at Seattle (1/27/04)…Played 7 minutes before spraining his right ankle at Phoenix (11/26/03); missed five games with that injury.

2002-03:
Averaged team-highs of 25.1 ppg and 9.9 rpg in 39.0 mpg…Also averaged career-highs of 3.0 assists and 1.35 steals to go along with 1.04 bpg in 80 games…Led the team in scoring 50 times and rebounding 52 times…Scored in double figures in 78 games, 20 or more in 65 games and 30 or more 20 times…Had 41 double-doubles…Shot 46.3% (690-1489) from the field, 37.9% from the 3-point arc (148-390) and a career-high 88.1% from the free throw line (483-548)…His 710 defensive rebounds was a franchise record…Ranked sixth in the NBA in scoring, seventh in rebounding double-doubles and free throw percentage, 22nd in minutes per game, tied for 29th in 3-point percentage, 32nd in steals, tied for 33rd in blocks and 40th in field goal percentage…Played three complete 48-minute games…Led the team in scoring 50 games and scored 20 or more points in 65 games…Scored 30 or more points 21 times…Named Western Conference Player of the Week twice (11/10/02 and 1/5/03)…Fifth career 20-point, 20-board game with 25 points (7-21 FGs, 10-10 FTs) and a season-high 22 rebounds in 47 minutes vs. L.A. Lakers (4/3/03)…Game-high 37 points (15-33 FGs, 2-5 3FGs) with team-high tying 13 rebounds before fouling out in 45 minutes vs. Minnesota (3/10/03)…Had a career-high tying 8 assists vs. Miami (2/15/03)…40 points (12-25 FGs, 14-16 FTs) with game-high 14 rebounds in 47 minutes vs. Milwaukee (12/30/02)…Missed two games in December with a sprained right ankle (suffered on 12/10/02 vs. Clippers) – 12/11/02 at San Antonio and 12/14/02 vs. Memphis.

2001-02:
Averaged career and team-highs of 23.4 ppg and 9.9 rpg in 38.0 mpg in 76 games...Ranked eighth in the NBA in points per game (23.4), eighth in rebounds per game (9.9), 19th in free throw percentage (.853), seventh in free throws made (440), 11th in free throws attempted (516), 17th in field goals made (600), 15th in 3-point field goals (139), 16th in 3-point field goals attempted (350) and ninth in double-doubles (38)…Played a career-high four complete games…missed six games to injury all having to do with his left ankle (first time he had ever missed a game due to injuries)...Sat out 11/4/01 game at Memphis due to sprained left ankle…Missed 12/8/01 game vs. Washington due to strained left ankle tendon and four games (4/9-14/02) with a sprained left ankle…Third in the NBA (behind Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan) in 30-point, 10-rebound games with 13…Scored in double figures 71 games…Scored 20 points or more 50 times…Posted 30 or more points 21 times...Led team in scoring 40 times...Led team in rebounding 44 times... Averaged 24.9 ppg (.488 FGs, .416 3FGs) and 10.2 rpg in 53 wins (in which he has played)…Career-high 40 points (12-22 FGs, 6-15 3FGs, 10-13 FTs) and 11 rebounds at Atlanta on 1/15/02…33 points (12-23 FGs, 6-6 FTs) and a career-high 23 rebounds and a career-high tying 8 assists vs. Boston on 2/21/02…In Smmer of 2001 led Germany to a fourth place finish at the European Championships in Turkey…Led the team for the 2002 World Championship in Indianapolis by winning MVP...Averaged 28.7 points, 9.1 rebounds in seven games…Shot .573 from the field, .426 from 3-point range and .714 from the free throw line.

2000-01:
Became the first Maverick in team history to be named All-NBA team....Team's leading scorer averaging 21.8 ppg and rebounder with 9.2 rpg in 38.1 mpg....Averaged 1.23 blocks per game....Shot .474 from the field, .838 from the free throw line and .387 from the 3-point arc....One of two Mavericks to play and start all 82 games (Michael Finley was the other)....All offensive totals were career-highs....Made and attempted team-highs from the free throw line (451-538)....Scored in double figures a team-high 80 times....Scored 20 or more points 51 times and 30 points or more 10 times....Grabbed 10 or more rebounds 38 times....In Mavericks wins he averaged 22.8 ppg on .493 shooting compared to just 19.9 ppg (.439 FGs) in the losses....Had his best scoring month of the season in March at 24.7 ppg....Had more double-doubles during season (38) than he had in his first two seasons combined (11)....Tied for eighth in the league in double-doubles....Recorded a career-highs of 38 points (12-26 FGs, 13-16 FTs) and 17 rebounds vs. Orlando (1/18/01)....Became the second player in league history to make over 100 3-pointers (151) and register over 100 blocks (101)....In 1995-96 Robert Horry was the first with Houston with 142 3-pointers and 109 blocks....Career-tying 4 steals in 31 minutes vs. New Jersey (3/13/01)....Had a career-high 5 blocks vs. Houston (3/3/01)....Played a career-high 51 minutes at New York (2/7/01).

1999-2000:
Finished second in the league's Most Improved Player voting....Played in all 82 games (only player to do so other than Michael Finley) and averaged 17.5 points, 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game in 35.8 minutes per game....Among NBA leaders in scoring (34th), rebounding (16th) and 3-point shooting (40th), free throw shooting (28th) and minutes (37th)....Third-leading European scorer in the NBA)....Had nine double-doubles....Led the team in free throw attempts with 348....Shot .830 from the free throw line....116 3-point field goals made was the fourth-highest single season total in Dallas history....Scored in double figures 78 times (in the four games he did not Dallas was 1-3)....Scored a season-high 32 points twice....Had a season-high 4 steals vs. Chicago on 11/27/99....Registered double figures in rebounds nine times and had seven or more rebounds 34 times....Pulled down a career-high 17 boards at Utah on 3/27/00....Set a career-high with 8 assists at Utah on 3/27/00.

1998-99:
Averaged 8.2 ppg on .405 shooting with 3.4 rebounds in 20.4 minutes in rookie season....In his final 12 games, he tallied double-figures eight times....During that span the Mavericks posted a 6-6 record....In the 20 games that he logged 20-plus minutes, he had 262 points (13.1 ppg)....Finished second on the team with 27 blocks....Scored a season-high 29 points at Phoenix on 4/16/99.

PRE-NBA:
Named Germany's Player of the Year for 1998 by Basket magazine....Led his club team to promotion into the German First Division (Bundesliga)....Prior to reporting to Mavericks training camp was the leading scorer in the league (21.4 ppg) and ranked third in rebounds (8.4)....Played eight games with the German National team in the European Championships 22-and-under tournament....Scored in double figures in seven times, including a 34-point, 15-rebound performance in Germany's final game, a 97-95 overtime win vs. Lithuania on 7/23/98....Germany finished seventh in the tournament with a 5-3 record....Captured global attention at the 1998 Nike Hoop Summit Game in San Antonio over Final Four weekend when his International Juniors team defeated the USA Juniors....Finished the game with a team-high 33 points, hitting 6-of-12 from the floor and collected 14 rebounds with three steals....In two seasons with WC

Personal

* Full name is Dirk Werner Nowitzki
* His older sister, Silke, works for the NBA in International TV
* His father, Joerg, played handball and his mother, Helen, starred for the German women's national basketball team
* Served a mandatory stint in the German army from 9/1/97 to 6/30/98
* Enjoys reading and playing the saxophone in his spare time