Dirk Nowitzki set to return for 20th NBA season

Dirk Nowitzki has confirmed he will return for his 20th NBA season. Dirk has played every single game of his career in a Mavericks uniform.

The greatest German basketball player ever isn’t ready to call it quits just yet. Mavericks power forward Dirk Nowitzki will be returning for his 20th NBA season. The Mavericks are the only franchise Dirk has ever known and he is apparently not ready to leave Dallas just yet.

Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com was the first to report the news.

"“I think my body will tell me when it’s time,” Nowitzki said (via Sneed). “I’m going to play next year as hard as I can.”"

Dallas Morning News reporter Brad Townsend also added this tweet that includes the possibility of Dirk playing more than one more NBA season.

Nowitzki will turn 39 in June, but his contract for the 2017-2018 season is a team option. That option is worth a steep $25 million for the upcoming season so it’s not clear whether Dirk will play under that number. Mavs owner Mark Cuban has shown affection for Dirk over the years so it is more than likely that the option simply gets picked up. Nowitzki has certainly taken pay cuts in previous years to stay in Dallas.

A lingering Achilles issue plagued Dirk during the 2016-2017 season, limiting him to 54 games, the lowest since his rookie season. However, the future Hall of Fame player was still effective from the field. He averaged 14.2 points per game for Dallas while shooting 37.8 percent from deep.

Dirk Nowitzki will go down as one of the greatest players in NBA history. A 7-footer that can hit 3-pointers is something the NBA didn’t really see prior to Nowitzki. His numbers speak for themselves as he has the opportunity to eclipse Wilt Chamberlain for fifth-place on the all-time scoring list. Dirk currently sits 1,159 points behind Wilt which could be an attainable mark if he continues to perform at a high level. Given the fact that his jump shot is virtually unblockable, Dirk Nowitzki could play in the NBA forever as long as his body holds up.

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Dirk Nowitzki is a 13-time All-Star and is the Mavericks franchise leader in points, 3-point baskets made, free throws, and rebounds. He is also responsible for bringing the City of Dallas a championship back in 2010-11 dethroning the first year of the LeBron James Heat squad in the finals.