Mavericks Set to Unveil Dirk Nowitzki’s Statue on Christmas Day

Dirk Nowitzki will have his own statue, which the Dallas Mavericks plan on unveiling on Christmas Day.

After revealing a model of the statue during the jersey retirement of Dirk Nowitzki last season, the Dallas Mavericks have announced that they will unveil the actual statue before their scheduled Christmas Day matchup against LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers. The statue, which will be placed outside of the American Airlines Center in Dallas, is a token of appreciation for Nowitzki’s loyalty to the franchise, as well as the NBA championship he helped bring to the city in 2011.

Nowitzki, the 9th overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft, played his entire NBA career with the Mavericks. Entering the league, there was initial skepticism as to how he would fit in the NBA. A 7-footer whose trump card is outside shooting was not that common back then, but Nowitzki soon blazed a trail that many big men would follow. His rookie year was forgettable, but he made a leap in his sophomore season, averaging 17.5 points on a 37.9% shooting from the three-point line.

Since that year, Dirk Nowitzki became one of the best players in the league, notching 14 All-Star appearances and winning the Most Valuable Player award in 2007. But his greatest achievement would be winning the NBA title in 2011 when he and the Mavericks scored an upset over the Miami Heat’s Big 3 of LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. Nowitzki also won the Three-Point Contest in 2006 and was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team.

Dirk Nowitzki has produced career averages of 20.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. He is also the only NBA player to have logged 21 seasons for a single franchise. Nowitzki, one of the best shooters we have seen in NBA history, announced his retirement in 2019.