Germany’s most successful basketball player is honoured again. Dirk Nowitzki also sees the induction into the Hall of Fame as the end of the celebrations.
Dirk Nowitzki is looking forward to his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield with great anticipation and wants to celebrate the honour in as large a circle as possible. “For me, it’s the absolute icing on the cake. I’m looking forward to Springfield like crazy. It’s going to be one hell of a week with friends and families from all over the world. There are over 150 people from my crew coming,” Nowitzki said in a video session with German journalists on Thursday. The 45-year-old from Würzburg will receive the traditional jacket and hall of fame ring on 11 August and will be inducted in a ceremony in Springfield the following day.
Other former NBA pros moving into the Hall of Fame include Pau Gasol of Spain, France’s Tony Parker and Dwyane Wade in the first year they could be elected. In addition, winning coaches Gregg Popovich and Becky Hammon will be among those honoured. Nowitzki told that he already has a joint chat group with his former rivals Gasol and Parker to discuss the honour.
Nowitzki played 21 NBA seasons for the Dallas Mavericks and looks back on a successful career including a championship in 2011. “I also see this as a bit of a conclusion to all the celebrations. I hope it will be quieter for a while after this,” Nowitzki said.
There have already been a few of these honours for the German in recent years. In Dallas, a street was named after the 2.13-metre tall basketball player, then his jersey was pulled under the Mavericks’ indoor roof and a Nowitzki statue was unveiled outside the arena. Friends had already asked him in view of the accumulation of festivities: “We should come and celebrate you again?” It was all “a bit much”.