April 2019 The German Times – Life 23 Naismith Legacy Award for his contribu- BY ROBERT NORMEN tion to the global game of basketball – the first non-American to ever receive the typical German residential GT MONTAGE honor; the Transatlantic Partnership Award neighborhood at night, cars by the American Chamber of Commerce A neatly parked in driveways, all in Germany for the work of his foundation the lights are out, everyone’s asleep, and his civil engagement; and the Lucius D. yet in front of one of the houses is a Clay Medal by the Federation of German- hoop attached to the garage. A very tall American Clubs for his contribution to and lanky man with a ball in his hands German-American understanding. is standing 23 feet-nine inches away. He But before he would amass this pile of calmly launches one three-point shot lifetime achievement awards, there was after the next, and all you can hear is some unfinished business to tend to on the the soothing sound of the ball falling court. In 2011, Nowitzki led his team back through the net: swish, swish, swish. to the NBA Finals, and again faced Miami. Eventually he misses one and the ball However, after having traded Shaq, the clanks off the rim, making a slight rattling heavily favorite Heat featured one of the noise. Lights everywhere immediately most highly touted Big Three ever to take switch on; dogs start to bark. The young the court: Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron man lifts his arms, sheepishly apologiz- James. ing – “Tschuldigung” – before continuing The Mavs won 4:2. Nowitzki played an his shooting exercise, draining three after outstanding series and was voted Finals three in the wee hours of the night. MVP, but a particular moment stood out, The young man in the Footlocker com- one that is emblematic of his personality. mercial from the early 2000s is Dirk When the final buzzer sounded, Nowitzki Nowitzki, a 21-year veteran of the NBA’s fought his way to the locker room. In the Dallas Mavericks, sixth highest scorer in Dirk of yore moment of his greatest basketball triumph, NBA history, league MVP in 2007, NBA he sought out a moment of quiet away World Champion in 2011, 14-time All- from the noise and the limelight. Star, a living legend – and simply the After 21 years in the NBA, the great Dirk Nowitzki is The Dallas Mavericks did not contend greatest German basketball player who calling it quits. A look back at a transcendent career for the NBA trophy again, having in short ever lived. order sold off every major contributor Although this list of accolades is very from the championship team – except impressive, it is probably less effective at Nowitzki, who remained with the Mavs encapsulating what makes Nowitzki so and did not, as has become fashionable for special – as a man and as a player – than big stars, demand a trade to a better team. the unassuming ad. His 21-year tenure with Dallas is an all-time Although he’s already 40 years old, league record for a player staying with the Nowitzki only recently announced his same team. intention to retire after he finishes the in small gyms with old linoleum floors. shots are extremely difficult to defend. overall, but uncharacteristically missed Soccer is and will always be the number- current season with the Mavericks. At his Now he was playing in front of 20,000 Geschwindner – a bit of a mad scien- several crucial free throws in the decisive one sport in Germany. The popularity of last regular-season home game in Dallas people, at the Great Western Forum in tist – had programmed a computer game 7. After losing in the first round of Germany’s professional basketball league on April 9th, there were very few dry eyes Los Angeles or Madison Square Garden model to calculate the perfect angle for the playoffs in 2007 to the then-medio- could be compared to Major League Soccer in the house as fans and fellow players in New York. Nowitzki’s jumper. Over the years, cre Golden State Warriors – that season, (MLS) in the US: decent games, some dedi- paid tribute to the career of their beloved Nowitzki struggled on the court at first, mentor and mentee went on to develop they had won a league-leading 67 games cated fans, but not part of the national “Dirk Diggler.” but – cue back to the commercial – con- a whole array of variations, including the and Nowitzki had been crowned regular- sports conversation. Nowitzki, however, And what a career it’s been. tinued to work diligently on his unique most famous one: the flamingo, a one- season MVP – it looked as if the story of has transcended mere basketball star- In early April, ESPN ran a long oral brand of basketball that would go on legged fade-away that is near impossible his career had been written: Good but not dom – he has become a German cultural history of Nowitzki making a splash at to change the way the game is played. to guard. great player, weak leader, unable to get his icon, known and beloved by people who the Nike Hoops Summit in San Antonio, Nowitzki is not alone in the nighttime Nowitzki played his first All Star Game team over the hump. otherwise aren’t familiar with the game. a showcase game pitting US high school ad; an older man is standing under the in 2002. In 2005, he led the German That summer, Geschwindner took his The German sociologist Wolf Lepenies players against a team of youngsters from basket, passing the ball back to Dirk. He national team on a wholly unexpected, protégé on a camping trip through Aus- elevated Nowitzki to the highest order of around the world. The unknown skinny is unrecognizable in the ad, but it can spectacular run to the finals of the Euro- tralia, no basketball, no phone, just books role models; he is “bigger than the game,” German kid who had been playing for be no other than Holger Geschwind- pean championships, defeating both and poetry for protection. In 2008, Now- on par with the boxer Max Schmeling and the subdivision team in his hometown of ner, who met Nowitzki when the kid Russia and Spain with game-winning itzki led the German national team to the Fritz Walter, captain of Germany’s 1954 Würzburg delivered a stand-out perfor- was 16 years old and became his per- buzzer beaters. Germany lost in the Olympics in Beijing and was chosen to bear Soccer World Cup champions. mance with 33 points and 14 rebounds, sonal coach. Geschwindner, himself a finals to Greece, but Nowitzki was voted the German flag during the opening cer- Nowitzki has taken all the praise in stride, prompting Larry Bird to say that after former basketball great who played for the tournament’s most valuable player, emony, the first time a German team-sport just as he graciously took in every tribute having only seen a tape of that game, the German national team at the 1972 reminiscent of Lakers legend Jerry West, athlete had been given that honor. “He is a and every standing ovation he received “you’d think he’s the greatest player of Olympics, insisted the 7-foot Nowitzki who was voted NBA Finals MVP in 1969 superstar and yet still remained humble,” this season from fans across the NBA. all time.” not be deployed in the post and not play despite his team losing to the Boston said Michael Vesper, then general direc- But it’s just as easy to imagine him back Nowitzki was selected ninth by the Mil- as a regular center, but instead should Celtics. tor of the German Olympic Sports Con- in his driveway, shooting threes through waukee Bucks in the NBA draft only two develop a picture-perfect jump shot with In 2006, Nowitzki’s Mavericks, which federation, echoing what has become the the night. months later and traded to the Mavs on no wasted motion and an unusually high had been a cellar dweller when he got dominant image of Nowitzki off the court: the same day. He went through the typi- arc. there, made it to the NBA finals, only a stand-up guy who does not put on airs. cal growing pains of an NBA rookie. Not Tall men regularly shooting from the to lose in dramatic fashion to a Miami Over the years, Nowitzki would be Robert Normen is a sports journalist having played in college, he was used to outside was still uncommon in the NBA Heat team featuring Shaquille O’Neal and awarded the Silver Laurel Leaf, the based in Munich. lacing it up in front of maybe 500 people back then, yet when they can, their Dwayne Wade. Nowitzki had played well highest sports award in Germany; the Tomorrow’s musicians today! young-euro-classic.de Hauptpartner ears Konzerthaus Berlin Y The festival of the world’s best youth orchestras Öffentlicher Partner 19.JUL– 06.AUG 2019 20.