2023-08-13 03:35:44
From Germany to Glory!
No German has ever been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame – until now. A new phase of life began for basketball legend Dirk Nowitzki (45) early on Sunday morning.
Fans waved the German flag and shouted the Würzburg native’s name as the former Dallas Mavericks star strolled with his family down the red carpet into Symphony Hall for the ceremony.
An important day for the whole family: Nowitzki came to the ceremony with his wife Jessica Olsson and the children
Foto: MIKE LAWRIE/Getty Images via AFP
Once inside, the Hall of Fame presented him with his orange jacket. Nowitzki thanked the Dallas fans: “You inspired me and motivated me to always work hard.”
The athlete: “There is one quality that makes a team stronger, and that is respect.”
Emotional thanks to the parents
At 4:52 a.m. German time, the Hall of Fame cheered on X (formerly Twitter): “Dirk Nowitzki is now an officially inducted member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.”
How important family is to him became clear when Nowitzki continued his English speech in German to thank his parents: “What you did for me I will never forget for the rest of my life, even if I only have one become half as good a father as you parents were for me, then I will be happy.”
Nowitzki was visibly touched when he thanked his parents and ran his fingers over his eyes. He has three children himself
Photo: Jessica Hill/dpa
Even before the event in Springfield (Massachusetts), he said with regard to the sporting appreciation: “The Hall of Fame is the top of the mountain, that ends this phase of my life.”
The basketball legend shines in an orange jacket
Foto: MIKE LAWRIE/Getty Images via AFP
For him, the recording is a really important event. Because: “In Germany, there really isn’t anything like a Hall of Fame for athletes, so I didn’t grow up with it. It wasn’t until I moved to the US that I realized how huge that is.”
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Nowitzki played all 21 years of his NBA career for the Dallas Mavericks. He left deep marks in the best basketball league in the world. He led the Mavericks to their first and only championship in 2011, became the first European to be named the league’s most valuable player and is number six on the all-time scorer list.
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Competitor praises German legend
And his longtime opponent from France, Tony Parker (41), was also included in the Hall of Fame. He said: “Dirk paved the way. I always say Dirk is the goat for all European players. He has shown that teams can rely on European players as franchise players.”
Goat is the English abbreviation for Greatest of all times.
Frenchman Tony Parker (41) also celebrated his induction into the Hall of Fame
Photo: Jessica Hill/dpa
“I was very honored by that,” said Nowitzki. “When I’ve been able to help and inspire others, that makes me happy.”
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