Rise to Success: Career Highlights of Dirk Nowitzki

How Dirk Nowitzki built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Dirk Nowitzki is a retired German professional basketball player, currently a special advisor for the Dallas Mavericks. Standing at 7 feet tall, he's celebrated as one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history and often regarded as the best European player ever. Nowitzki's accolades include being named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team and induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Legacy & Impact

1990: Mavericks Last Playoff Appearance

In 1990, the Dallas Mavericks had last made the playoffs.

1990: Playoffs Appearance

In 1990, the Mavericks reached the playoffs for the first time since 1990.

1994: DJK squad

In 1994, Nowitzki made the DJK squad

1997: Begins playing for the German national basketball team

In 1997, Dirk Nowitzki began playing for the German national basketball team.

1997: Michael Jordan's "Flu Game" Comparison

In 1997, Michael Jordan played in the NBA Finals despite having flu-like symptoms. In 2011, Dirk Nowitzki evoked comparisons to Michael Jordan's "Flu Game" because he played an important game in the NBA finals with a fever of 101 °F (38 °C).

March 29, 1998: Nike Hoop Summit

On March 29, 1998, Dirk Nowitzki participated in the Nike Hoop Summit, where he scored 33 points and had 14 rebounds, impressing scouts and NBA clubs with his skills.

1998: NBA Draft and Trade to Dallas Mavericks

In 1998, Dirk Nowitzki was drafted ninth overall by the Milwaukee Bucks and immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks, where he spent his entire 21-year NBA career.

1998: NBA Draft and Mavericks Jersey Number

In 1998, the Milwaukee Bucks selected Dirk Nowitzki with the ninth pick and traded him to the Dallas Mavericks. He wore No. 41 after being unable to use No. 14 due to Robert Pack already wearing it.

1998: NBA Lockout and Return to DJK Würzburg

In 1998, the NBA season was delayed by a lockout, causing Dirk Nowitzki to return to DJK Würzburg and play thirteen games before a compromise deal led to a shortened NBA season.

1999: EuroBasket Debut

In 1999, Dirk Nowitzki made his debut at the EuroBasket tournament. He emerged as the main German scorer, but Germany finished seventh and failed to qualify for the 2000 Olympic Games.

January 4, 2000: Mark Cuban Buys the Mavericks

On January 4, 2000, Mark Cuban purchased the Dallas Mavericks for $280 million and invested heavily in the team, creating a supportive environment for players like Dirk Nowitzki.

2000: Germany fails to qualify for the Olympics

In 2000, Germany failed to qualify for the Olympic Games.

2000: All-NBA Third Team Selection

In the 2000-01 NBA season, Dirk Nowitzki improved his averages and was voted into the All-NBA Third Team, marking the first time a Maverick received this honor. This success alongside best friend Steve Nash and Michael Finley led to the trio being nicknamed the "Big Three" of the Mavericks.

2000: Karl Malone's 40-point game.

Karl Malone had a 40-point game in the 2000-2001 season. In March 2015, Dirk Nowitzki became the first 37-year-old to achieve the same record since.

2001: Six-year contract extension

In 2001, Dirk Nowitzki signed a six-year, $90 million contract extension with the Mavericks, making him the second-highest-paid German athlete after Michael Schumacher.

2001: NBA Playoff Appearance

In 2001, Nowitzki led the Mavericks to NBA playoff appearance

2001: EuroBasket 2001

In 2001, during EuroBasket, Dirk Nowitzki was top scorer with 28.7 points per game, and narrowly lost the MVP vote to Peja Stojaković. Germany reached the semi-finals. Nowitzki led the tournament in both points and rebounds and was voted to the All-Star team.

2002: Bronze Medal in FIBA World Championship

In 2002, Dirk Nowitzki led Germany to a bronze medal in the FIBA World Championship. Nowitzki, as the tournament's top scorer, was elected the tournament MVP.

2002: FIBA World Championship Bronze Medal

In 2002, Dirk Nowitzki led the Germany national team to a bronze medal at the FIBA World Championship, where he was also the leading scorer and MVP.

2002: Leading scorer and MVP of the 2002 FIBA World Championship

In 2002, Nowitzki was the leading scorer and MVP of the 2002 FIBA World Championship.

2003: Mavericks reach Western Conference Finals

In 2003, Nowitzki led the Mavericks to a franchise-high 60-22 record. They defeated the Portland Trail Blazers and Sacramento Kings in the playoffs before losing to the Spurs in the Western Conference Finals after Nowitzki was injured.

December 2, 2004: Career-high 53 points

On December 2, 2004, Nowitzki scored a career-best 53 points in an overtime win against the Houston Rockets.

2004: Germany fails to qualify for the Olympic Games.

In 2004, Germany did not qualify for the Olympic Games. At EuroBasket 2003, Nowitzki lacked focus due to his injury.

2005: Silver Medal at EuroBasket

In 2005, Dirk Nowitzki led a depleted German squad into the EuroBasket Finals, eventually losing to Greece but earning a silver medal. Nowitzki was the tournament's leading scorer, second-leading rebounder and shot blocker, and was voted the Most Valuable Player.

2005: EuroBasket Silver Medal

In 2005, Nowitzki led the Germany national team to a silver medal in EuroBasket, and was also the leading scorer and MVP of the tournament.

2005: MVP of the EuroBasket 2005 tournament

In 2005, Nowitzki was the MVP of the EuroBasket 2005 tournament.

2005: Finley waived, Nowitzki becomes last member of "Big Three"

Prior to the 2005-06 NBA season, Michael Finley was waived, leaving Nowitzki as the last player remaining from the Mavericks' "Big Three" of Nash, Finley, and himself.

2006: Eighth Place in FIBA World Championship

In 2006, Dirk Nowitzki led the German team to an eighth-place finish in the FIBA World Championship.

2006: Mavericks' First NBA Finals Appearance

In 2006, Nowitzki led the Dallas Mavericks to their first NBA Finals appearance.

2006: Mavericks reach NBA Finals

In 2006, Nowitzki led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Miami Heat. The Mavericks defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, San Antonio Spurs and Phoenix Suns on the way to the finals.

2006: Won the 2006 NBA All-Star Three-Point Contest

In 2006, Nowitzki won the NBA All-Star Three-Point Contest. In the 2006–07 season, Nowitzki became only the fifth member of the NBA's 50–40–90 Club.

2006: Won the 2006 Three-Point Contest

In 2006, Nowitzki won the Three-Point Contest.

2006: Nowitzki joins 50-40-90 club

In the 2006-07 season, Nowitzki made the 50-40-90 club.

2007: NBA Most Valuable Player Award

In 2007, Dirk Nowitzki won the NBA Most Valuable Player Award, recognizing his outstanding performance during the season.

2007: EuroBasket 2007

In 2007, Nowitzki led Germany to a fifth-place finish in the EuroBasket 2007 tournament, held in Spain. He was the leading scorer with 24.0 points per game, but Germany fell short of direct qualification for the 2008 Olympics.

February 6, 2008: First career triple-double

On February 6, 2008, Nowitzki recorded his first career triple-double against the Milwaukee Bucks, with 29 points, 10 rebounds, and a career-high 12 assists.

March 8, 2008: Mavericks' all-time career points leader

On March 8, 2008, Nowitzki surpassed Rolando Blackman to become the Mavericks' all-time career points leader, scoring his 16,644th point against the New Jersey Nets.

2008: 2008 Olympics

In 2008, Nowitzki led Germany into a decisive match against Puerto Rico for the last remaining slot and he scored a game-high 32 points, securing a 96–82 win. Nowitzki was chosen to be the flag bearer for the German Olympic Team at the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Olympics. Nowitzki led the German team to a tenth-place finish, and averaged 17.0 points and 8.4 rebounds for the tournament.

2008: Nowitzki finishes season with averages of 25.9 points

In the 2008-09 NBA season, Nowitzki finished with averages of 25.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 2.4 assists.

2009: Mavericks upset win over San Antonio

In 2009, Nowitzki led Dallas to an upset win over long-time rival San Antonio, winning the first-round series, 4-1. However, the Mavericks fell short against the Denver Nuggets in the second round, 4-1.

2009: Skipped EuroBasket 2009

In 2009, Nowitzki skipped the EuroBasket tournament.

2009: Mavericks finish season as the second seed for the 2010 NBA Playoffs

In 2009-10, the Mavericks finished the NBA season as the second seed for the 2010 NBA Playoffs.

January 13, 2010: 20,000-point milestone

On January 13, 2010, Nowitzki became the 34th player in NBA history—and the first European—to hit the 20,000-point milestone.

July 2010: Skipped 2010 FIBA World Championship

In July 2010, Nowitzki announced he would skip the 2010 FIBA World Championship.

December 8, 2011: End of NBA Lockout

On December 8, 2011, the NBA lockout ended. Following this, the defending champions Dallas Mavericks lost key players and added new ones. The Mavericks played only two preseason games, which led to a slow start for Dirk Nowitzki.

2011: NBA Championship and Finals MVP

In 2011, Dirk Nowitzki led the Dallas Mavericks to their only NBA championship and was awarded the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award.

2011: Played in EuroBasket 2011

In 2011, Nowitzki played with Germany in the EuroBasket 2011, where the team reached ninth place.

2011: MVP of the 2011 NBA Finals

In 2011, Nowitzki was voted MVP of the 2011 NBA Finals.

2011: NBA Finals against Miami Heat

In 2011, the Dallas Mavericks faced the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals. During Game 1, Dirk Nowitzki tore a tendon in his left middle finger, but he played through the injury. Despite carrying a 101 °F fever in Game 4, he made the winning basket to tie the series, eventually leading Dallas to win their first championship. He was named NBA Finals Most Valuable Player.

December 23, 2012: Nowitzki Returns After Surgery

On December 23, 2012, Dirk Nowitzki returned to the court in a game against San Antonio after recovering from knee surgery.

2012: Mavericks swept by Thunder in Playoffs

In 2012, Dirk Nowitzki made his 11th straight All-Star game appearance in Orlando. His streak of 11 seasons with 1,500 points ended after scoring 1,342 in the shortened NBA season. Dallas clinched the seventh spot in the West and were swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 2012 NBA Playoffs.

2012: NBA Playoff Appearance

In 2012, Nowitzki led the Mavericks to NBA playoff appearance

April 14, 2013: Nowitzki Scores 25,000th Point and Mavericks reach .500

On April 14, 2013, in a game against the New Orleans Hornets, Dirk Nowitzki scored his 25,000th point, becoming the 17th player in NBA history to reach this milestone. The Mavericks won the game and climbed back to .500, leading Nowitzki to shave his beard. However, the Mavericks missed the playoffs, ending their 12-year streak.

January 2014: Last 40-point game until 2015

Dirk Nowitzki had his last 40-point game in January 2014, prior to setting a new season high with 40 points in March 2015.

January 29, 2014: Nowitzki Scores 26,000th Point

On January 29, 2014, Dirk Nowitzki scored his 26,000th point in a game against the Houston Rockets, recording 38 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 assists.

March 12, 2014: Nowitzki Passes Havlicek on Scoring List

On March 12, 2014, Dirk Nowitzki passed John Havlicek on the NBA scoring list, finishing the game with 31 points for a total of 26,426 points in a victory over the Utah Jazz.

April 8, 2014: Nowitzki Passes Oscar Robertson on Scoring List

On April 8, 2014, Dirk Nowitzki scored his 26,712th point, surpassing Oscar Robertson to move to the 10th position on the NBA all-time scoring list. He led the Mavericks back to the playoffs, where they faced the San Antonio Spurs in the first round but lost the series in seven games.

July 15, 2014: Nowitzki Re-Signs with Mavericks

On July 15, 2014, Dirk Nowitzki re-signed with the Mavericks for a reported three-year, $25 million contract. He was also reunited with former teammate Tyson Chandler.

November 11, 2014: Nowitzki Surpasses Olajuwon as Highest-Scoring International Player

On November 11, 2014, Dirk Nowitzki scored 23 points to surpass Hakeem Olajuwon as the highest-scoring player born outside the United States, totaling 26,953 career points in a game where the Mavericks defeated Sacramento, 106–98.

2014: NBA Playoff Appearance

In 2014, Nowitzki led the Mavericks to NBA playoff appearance

January 5, 2015: Nowitzki Passes Moses Malone on All-Time Scoring List

On January 5, 2015, Dirk Nowitzki passed Moses Malone for seventh place on the NBA's all-time scoring list in a 96–88 overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets.

November 11, 2015: Nowitzki passes Shawn Marion on Rebounding List

On November 11, 2015, Dirk Nowitzki scored a season-high 31 points in a win over the Los Angeles Clippers. He also grabbed a team-high 11 rebounds and passed former teammate Shawn Marion for 15th on the all-time career rebounding list.

2015: Captained Germany at the EuroBasket

In 2015, Nowitzki captained Germany at the EuroBasket. They won only one game, and were eliminated in the group stage, on home soil.

January 2016: Retirement from Germany's National Team

In January 2016, Nowitzki officially announced his retirement from Germany's national team, concluding a career where he averaged 19.7 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game.

July 27, 2016: Nowitzki Re-Signs with Mavericks

On July 27, 2016, Dirk Nowitzki re-signed with the Mavericks.

2016: Nowitzki Exercises Player Option to Become Free Agent

Following the 2016–17 season, Nowitzki exercised his player option to become a free agent in 2016; this move allowed the Mavericks to re-sign him with less money and be able to pursue other free agents.

2016: NBA Playoff Appearance

In 2016, Nowitzki led the Mavericks to NBA playoff appearance

March 7, 2017: Nowitzki Reaches 30,000 Career Points

On March 7, 2017, in a win over the Los Angeles Lakers, Dirk Nowitzki became the sixth player in NBA history to score 30,000 regular-season points. He also became the first international player to reach the milestone and one of only three to score all 30,000-plus with one team.

July 6, 2017: Nowitzki Re-Signs with Mavericks

On July 6, 2017, Dirk Nowitzki re-signed with the Mavericks on a two-year, $10 million contract.

2017: Won the 2017 NBA Teammate of the Year award

In 2017, Nowitzki won the NBA Teammate of the Year award.

February 5, 2018: Nowitzki Reaches 50,000 Career Minutes

On February 5, 2018, in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, Dirk Nowitzki became the sixth player in NBA history to reach 50,000 career minutes.

February 28, 2018: Nowitzki Reaches 31,000 Career Points

On February 28, 2018, Dirk Nowitzki reached 31,000 career points in a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

March 17, 2018: Nowitzki Moves to Fifth Place on NBA Career Games List

On March 17, 2018, Dirk Nowitzki played in his 1,463rd game, moving past Kevin Garnett into fifth place on the NBA career games list.

July 23, 2018: Nowitzki Re-Signs with Mavericks

On July 23, 2018, Dirk Nowitzki re-signed with the Mavericks for the 2018–19 season.

December 13, 2018: Nowitzki Sets NBA Record for Most Seasons with One Team

On December 13, 2018, Dirk Nowitzki made his season debut, setting the NBA record for the most seasons played with the same team (21), tying an NBA record.

March 18, 2019: Nowitzki Surpasses Wilt Chamberlain on All-Time Scoring List

On March 18, 2019, Dirk Nowitzki became the sixth-highest scoring player of all time, surpassing Wilt Chamberlain's 31,419 points in a loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.

December 2019: Received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany

In December 2019, Nowitzki received the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany from Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in recognition of his social commitment.