Dirk Nowitzki tears up after standing ovation in Germany (Video)
The German crowd gave Dirk Nowitzki a standing ovation after the star’s final national team game.
Playing in his final national team game with Germany, Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki likely wished that things could have been a bit different. After watching his team get upset by Turkey on Thursday and then taking a loss to a tough Italy squad, the German team could have had a bit of redemption by knocking off the highly rated Spain squad.
However, things just didn’t line up for Germany. Down one point with three seconds remaining, German star Dennis Schroder missed the final free throw attempt, failing to tie the score and sending the Germans to 1-3 in the Eurobasket Tournament.
While the outcome of the games were bittersweet for Nowitzki, who was the team’s second-leading scorer during the tournament behind Schroder, the Mavs’ forward will still have a great memory to take home with him. The home crowd was gracious enough to rain down a standing ovation on Nowitzki and the response from the legend was well worth it
The end of an era is always a touching moment for athletes. It humanizes them in a way that few moments can, and lets us know just how special their time doing what they love truly is.
The 37-year-old Nowitzki intends to fulfill the final two years of his contract with the Dallas Mavericks before announcing his retirement plans. Now entering his 17th season with the franchise, the seven-footer has averaged 22.2 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. His career VORP (Value Over Replacement Player) ranks him 19th in NBA history and he has the chance to be ranked as high as 17th at the end of his deal.
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