Video

Dirk Werner Nowitzki (pronounced [no'v?tski]) (born June 19, 1978 in Würzburg, Germany) is a German professional basketball player who plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association. An alumnus of Röntgen Gymnasium grammar school and DJK Würzburg basketball club, Nowitzki was drafted ninth overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1998 NBA Draft and was immediately traded to the Mavericks, where he has been playing ever since. Standing at 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m), Nowitzki plays the power forward position, but is also capable of playing other frontcourt positions like center, small forward or point forward.Nowitzki is a seven-time NBA All-Star and seven-time member of the All-NBA Teams and is the first European-born player in NBA history to receive the NBA Most Valuable Player award. He is the first Maverick ever to be voted into an All-NBA Team and also holds several all-time Mavericks franchise records. He led the German national basketball team to a bronze medal in the 2002 FIBA World Championship and the silver medal in EuroBasket 2005, and was leading scorer and elected Most Valuable Player in both tournaments. Regarded as one of the best European players in basketball history, Nowitzki was named "European Basketball Player of the Year" by Italian sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport for five years in a row and voted FIBA European Basketball Player of the Year in 2005.Nowitzki is a versatile, all-purpose frontcourt player who mostly plays the power forward position, but has also played center, small forward and point forward throughout his career. With career averages of over 20 points and nearly 9 rebounds, he is a constant double double threat. Nowitzki is considered one of the best shooters in the game, hitting over 85% of his free throws, connecting on almost 50% of his field goal attempts and on almost 40% of his three-point shots, and is also winner of the 2006 NBA All-Star Three-Point Shootout competition. His shooting accuracy, combined with his tall seven-foot frame, makes him a tough defensive assignment, because he can shoot over most players.Nowitzki's career has also been rewarded with an array of awards. He has made the All-Star team seven times and the All-NBA Teams seven times. He was voted NBA Most Valuable Player of the 2006-07 NBA season and became the first European-born player to achieve this milestone. Other achievements include winning the 2006 NBA All-Star Three Point Shootout, being voted "European Basketballer of the Year" five times in a row by Gazzetta dello Sport, and becoming leading scorer and elected Most Valuable Player in the 2002 FIBA World Championships and 2005 FIBA European Championships. Finally, he holds several Dallas Mavericks franchise records relating to scoring, free throw shooting and rebounding.