Dirk Nowitzki

Dirk Nowitzki is a basketball player for the NBA's Dallas Mavericks. Nowitzki, hailing from Germany, was the first European player to win the NBA's MVP award.

At 7-0, Dirk Nowitzki is a unique player in that he does not spend most of his time in the paint and on the block but often plays more like a 6-5 guard on the wing. A great three-point shooter, Dirk possesses a deadly fade-away from mid-range that is almost impossible to block. Over time, he has also developed into a decent defender.

Having a hard time in his rookie season in 1998-99, Nowitzki improved greatly over the next few seasons and teamed up with Michael Finley and Steve Nash to turn the Mavericks into one of the League's up-and-coming teams.

After Nash' and Finley's departure, Nowitzki took the team to its first ever berth in the Finals in 2006, losing to Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O'Neal's Miami Heat in six games. Dirk improved yet again, leading the Mavs to a 67-win season in 2007 and received the MVP award. It was bitter-sweet, however, as at the time of the ceremony, the Mavericks had been ousted by the Golden State Warriors in the first round.

In international competition, Nowitzki led the German national team to a bronze medal in the 2002 World Championships and to silver in the European Championships in 2005.

Dirk has been criticized for not being the Mavs' vocal leader and the team's playoff meltdowns in 2006 and 2007 have also tarnished his image. Currently injured and with his team fighting for their playoff lives, Nowitzki might wind up missing the postseason for the first time this millenium.

Created by: Ole