Ex-Dallas Mavericks superstar Dirk Nowitzki on this weekend’s Hall of Fame enshrinement: ‘I’m going in with an incredible class and against people I have competed against’
Andre Johnson 
MASSACHUSETTS DREAMIN’
At 9:32 Tuesday morning, Dirk Nowitzki walked inside of the Dallas Mavericks’ practice facility adjacent to the American Airlines Center, flashing that all-too-familiar smile.
The 7-foot German wasted little time fielding questions from Dallas/Fort Worth-area media members, many of whom had paid witnessed to his illustrious NBA career that spanned more than two decades.
“This is a big week. I can’t believe it’s here,” Nowitzki said during his opening statements before a standing-room-only crowd of reporters.
The “big week” to which Nowitzki is alluding is one many around the NBA sensed would ultimately come to fruition the moment the Mavericks most iconic player called it career following the 2018-19 season.
Nowitzki, 45, will be officially enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Saturday in Springfield, Massachusetts, headlining a class that will include fellow first-ballot inductees Dwyane Wade, Tony Parker, and Pau Gasol.
The rest of this year’s Hall of Fame inductees are: Gene Bess, Gary Blair, Becky Hammon, David Hixon, Gene Keady, Gregg Popovich, Jim Valvano and the 1976 U. S. Women’s Olympic Team.
Four years removed from his ceremonious retirement from NBA, Nowitzki spent the majority of Tuesday’s 32-minute news conference reminiscing on a professional basketball career in which has been suitably christened the greatest player to ever wear a Mavericks uniform.
The only player ever to play for a single NBA franchise for 21 seasons, Nowitzki made 14 All-Star appearances and was the first European player to start in an All-Star Game and win the NBA Most Valuable Player Award.
HE DID IT HIS WAY
The highest scoring foreign-born player in NBA history, Nowitzki was the first player in Maverick history voted to an All-NBA Team and holds several all-time franchise records.
Nowitzki is currently sixth on the NBA all-time scoring list.
Arguably Nowitzki’s best season unfolded in the first of a four-year, $80 million extension he signed to remain in Dallas following the 2009–10 campaign.
That’s because the following year, Nowitzki led Dallas to one of the biggest upsets in NBA Finals history when the Mavericks upended the Miami Heat’s Big Three of Wade, LeBron James, and Chris Bosh in six games to capture the franchise’s first world championship.
“I’ve always said I wanted to bring a championship to this city,” Nowitzki, a special advisor to the Mavericks, said. “When we won the championship, I knew I wanted to retire here.”
Despite playing through a torn tendon in his left middle finger during the series, Nowitzki was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player, this after averaging 26 points and 9.7 rebounds.
Come this weekend, Nowitzki and Wade will cross paths once again. Only this time, though, the two will officially become part of basketball’s most covenant fraternity.
“It’s only been four years that I’ve been out of the league and now we’re here,” Nowitzki said. “I’m going in with an incredible class and against people I have competed against.”
Interestingly enough, it seems Nowitzki will be dressed for the occasion amid what figures to be an emotionally tear-jerking moment, one that will feature former teammates Jason Kidd and Steve Nash introducing him prior to his highly-anticipated enshrinement.
THE LAST DANCE
“When I went to go get fitted for my (Hall of Fame) jacket, Nowitzki recalls, “they said, ‘Mavs in the house!”
Accompanying Nowitzki to Springfield will be his wife, Jessica Olsson, the couple’s three children, and a host of family members, friends, and well-wishers, he said.
As for his majestic Hall of Fame induction speech, Nowitzki, meanwhile, hinted he will try his best to keep it short and sweet, and vice versa.
In no particular order, of course.
“I had been working off and on with my speech for the past couple of months,” Nowitzki said. But at the end of the day, it’s just another thank you speech. I’m not going to tell that many stories.”
Amongst the notable reasons is that a countless number of narratives have already been written and cherished and embraced by many who have come to adore Nowitzki throughout the years — this beloved, soft-spoken gentle giant who undoubtedly has earned his rightful place on basketball’s grandest stage.
Next stop: Springfield, Massachusetts.
Andre Johnson is the award-winning Founder/Publisher & Editor In Chief of Making Headline News. A 2000 graduate of the University of Memphis School of Journalism and a former reporter of sports for the Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper, Johnson covers the NBA Southwest Division from Dallas, Texas. To reach Johnson, call him at 901-690-6587 or send email to [email protected]. Also, follow him on Twitter @AJ_Journalist.
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