Credit: AP-Scanpix
Credit AP-Scanpix

Dirk Nowitzki, the Dallas Mavericks and NBA legend featured in Real Madrid's midfielder Toni Kroos and his brother Felix's podcast Einfach mal Luppen.

3-pointers this season

33%
12,3
Points made: 12,3
Accuracy: 33,4%
Place in standings: 15
Record max: 19
Record min: 4
Most made 3FGs: Luka Doncic

43-year-old German and former NBA regular-season MVP spoke with the Kroos brothers about his physical problems and current condition, special relationship with Mavericks owner Mark Cuban, and current everyday life after his career.

Of course, Dirk still tries to play sports today, however, he doesn't get beyond a tennis doubles match anymore. He also revealed that the last two years in the NBA were quite strength-consuming and perhaps even too much.

"I keep thinking whether the last two years in the NBA were really worth it," Nowitzki said. "Of course, there were highlights, but we didn't perform well on the court, and I couldn't even really move anymore. If I had quit two years earlier, I could probably move better today and play soccer with the kids sometimes. I can't do that at all now."

In his 21 NBA years with the Dallas Mavericks, he played more than 1,500 games, was named to the All-Star team 14 times, and crowned his career in 2011 with a championship against the sheer overpowering Miami Heat.

He also touched on the subject of ending his career and leaving professional sports.

"It's always hard to find the right time when you stop. You're still having fun, the body is still halfway functioning, and the motivation is still there," he admits. 

Occasionally, Dirk can still face a sporting competition. He is passionate about playing tennis, albeit under adverse physical circumstances.

"It's really a super awesome sport, really fun. But when you can't move properly anymore, it's hard. We still play a few times a week, but I can't move much anymore. Most of the time, I just hit a few forehand shots from the baseline in the doubles," Nowitzki said.

Last summer, there was a lot of speculation whether Nowitzki could join the Mavericks directly, for instance, in the coaching team, but even that is still too early for Dirk. Mainly because he now wants to control his time freely, have time for his children and wife, and travel a lot.

"It's nice that I'm a bit free and can organize my day. Sometimes I take a month off and spend time at home supporting my wife, and in the next weeks, I'm a bit more active in my role as a consultant with the Mavs.

I find that very good right now that I am my boss. Basically, that's why I asked the front office to be a consultant for now, because I can't imagine taking a full-time job today. I'm also extremely comfortable with that," Nowitzki revealed. 

So, apart from his physical difficulties, the German star seems extremely happy at the moment. It is a well-known fact that professional athletes often fall into a hole after their career because the competition simply no longer exists in their daily lives.

This is not the case with Dirk, as he emphasizes during the interview. He is currently traveling with his whole family in Europe, skiing in Sweden, which is the home of his wife Jessica.

Dirk was also asked about his relationship with Mark Cuban, who even promised him a statue at his Jersey Retirement a few weeks ago.

"He changed everything back then. The previous owner looked at the Mavericks more as a business and an investment. Then when Mark came in, the owner finally brought passion because he was also a fan and sat next to the bench with season tickets and bawled around. You could just tell from then on, he's all in," Nowitzki remembered.

With Cuban, there was a breath of fresh air, which the franchise certainly needed. 

Of course, changes also came, but they were positive throughout. He built a new arena, today's American Airlines Center, and took care of other little things, such as making sure that the players would be sleeping in better hotels at away games and much more. 

"To have been there at that time was great everything changed and developed, and even the city became excited about the Mavericks again.

Of course, he had the 'money doesn't matter' approach, but he just wanted to lead Mavericks to the top. I got along great with him because you value each other and just had that foundation from the beginning."

The events in the following years are known to the whole basketball world. First, the surprising elimination after a glorious regular season in 2007 against the Warriors and 4 years later finally the long-awaited title that Dirk Nowitzki brought to the Mavericks and especially to Cuban.

In the aftermath of this, you also understand why the fans and officials in Dallas so appreciate the German future Hall of Famer. He crowned the project, which was started by Cuban in 2000, by winning the NBA championship. 

Nowitzki admitted that this championship had a big influence on staying with the Mavs for the rest of his career.

"If we hadn't won the Championship in 2011, I might have looked to other teams near the end of my career. Luckily it didn't come to that," said Dirk. 

So, what the next step in his career looks like remains to be seen. For sure, Nowitzki will take all the time in the world for his family because had to do without it for the most part in the past 20 years.

One thing is certain: the Dallas Mavericks will open all doors for him to return to the basketball business in the future. But then mostly from the sidelines.

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