Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk Werner Nowitzki (German pronunciation: [ˈdɪʁk ˈvɛʁnɐ noˈvɪtski]) (born June 19, 1978) is a German professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). An alumnus of Röntgen Gymnasium and the DJK Würzburg basketball club, Nowitzki was chosen as the ninth pick in the 1998 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and immediately traded to the Mavericks, where he has played since. Listed at 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m), Nowitzki is considered one of the greatest power forwards in basketball history.

Nowitzki led the Mavericks to 14 NBA Playoffs (2001–2012; 2014–2015), including the franchise's first Finals appearance in 2006 and only championship in 2011. He is a 13-time All-Star, a 12-time All-NBA Team member, and the first European player to start in an All-Star Game as well as the first to receive the NBA Most Valuable Player Award (2007). Nowitzki is the highest-scoring foreign-born player in NBA-history, currently being ranked 6th in all-time scoring with over 28,000 regular-season points. He is also one of six players who achieved a 50–40–90 season (2007). He is the first Maverick voted onto an All-NBA Team and holds several all-time Mavericks franchise records.Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Nowitzki are the only players to achieve four consecutive 30-point, 15-rebound post-season games (2001–2002).