Biography for
Dirk Nowitzki More at IMDbPro »

Date of Birth

19 June 1978, Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany

Birth Name

Dirk Werner Nowitzki

Nickname

Dirk Diggler
Dunking Deutschman
The German Wunderkind
The Germanator

Height

7' (2.13 m)

Spouse

Jessica Olsson

(20 July 2012 - present)

Trivia

In 2001, signed a six year deal with the Dallas Mavericks for $90 million.

In Game 3 of the 2003 Western Conference Finals, Dirk suffered a medial retinacular sprain (a sprain to the ligaments that hold the kneecap in place) on his left leg when he collided with the San Antonio Spurs' Manu Ginobili. Doctors said that only a few more degrees of hyperextension would have resulted in a torn ACL or MCL.

Is the only player in league history to make over 150 3-pointers (151) and register over 100 blocks (101) in one season.

Six-time NBA All-Star (2002-2007).

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

Named Germany's Player of the Year for 1998 by Basket magazine

Dirk's 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 1 September 1997 to 30 June 1998.

Enjoys reading and playing the saxophone and the guitar in his spare time.

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.

In 2005 and 2006, he made the All-NBA First Team, plus he was third in the MVP voting for 2006. In 2002 and 2003, he made the All-NBA Second Team.

In 2001, he made the All-NBA Third Team, the first Maverick to ever make the All-NBA Team. Made the All-NBA Third Team again in 2004.

Played on the 1996 German National Junior Team, German Under-22 National Team, European Junior Select Team and the World Junior Select Team.

Was named MVP of the 2002 World Basketball Championships.

At the 2002 World Basketball Championships, he led Germany to a bronze medal, their first ever medal at the Basketball World Championships. At the 2005 Euro Baskets, Nowitzki led Germany to a silver medal as they lost to Greece in the final. Was MVP in both tournaments.

Nowitzki holds the curious NBA record for most defensive rebounds in one game without an offensive one - he had 21 versus Sacramento (23 February 2002).

Once remarking he likes David Hasselhoff's song "Looking For Freedom", which was a big hit in Germany in the late 1980s, fans of Miami Heat always chanted "David Hasselhoff" when he visited the free throw line in the 2006 NBA finals.

Stated that he admires Larry Bird for his combination of skills, work ethic and winner's mentality.

First European-born player in NBA history to be named Most Valuable Player (May 2007).

Chosen "European Basketball Player of the Year" for five years in a row from 2002 to 2006.

Good friends with basketball player Steve Nash.

Where Are They Now

(February 2003) Playing Forward and Center for the Dallas Mavericks NBA Franchise