Mavericks unveil statue of franchise icon Dirk Nowitzki

December 27 ------ The Dallas Mavericks unveiled a statue of legendary forward Dirk Nowitzki prior to their 124-115 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, December 25 (Monday, December 26, Manila time).

The statue outside American Airlines Center is nearly 24 feet tall and is a sculpture of Nowitzki’s famed one-legged fadeaway jumper. Nowitzki spent his entire 21-year career (1998-2019) with the Mavericks, an NBA record for most seasons played with one franchise. The writing at the base of the statue signifies that: “Loyalty never fades away.” “It’s 21 letters for my 21 years here,” Nowitzki said.

Nowitzki, a 14-time All-Star and the 2007 MVP, led Dallas to its lone NBA title during the 2010-11 season. He was named NBA Finals MVP. Now 44, Nowitzki ranks sixth in NBA history with 31,560 career points. He will likely be a first-ballot selection to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.

Several current Dallas players attended the ceremony, including star guard Luka Doncic. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, a former teammate of Nowitzki, also watched the festivities. The statue is on Nowitzki Way, a street outside the downtown Dallas arena that was renamed after the German in 2019.

Source: rappler.com

Editor's note:

Luka Doncic scored 32 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. had 16 of his 26 points in a huge third quarter for Dallas and the Mavericks beat the Los Angeles Lakers, 124-115 on the day of the unveiling.