Come meet Dirk Nowitzki of The Dallas Mavericks at Phillips Arena January 15, 2016 at 10:30am.

About Dirk Nowitzki

Getting labeled a franchise player in the NBA is a double-edged sword. It comes with great rewards but also with awesome responsibility. Dirk Nowitzki is one of the few players who has shouldered both—without being handed a ticket out of town. It took the German superstar more than a decade to bring a Big W to the Big D, but by any measure, it was worth the wait. To the delight of Mavericks fans, in 2011, Dirk crashed LeBron James’s NBA Finals coronation and stole the crown for himself.

Dirk came into the NBA with the skills to become an All-Star. He has developed beyond what many experts imagined he could. He has a smooth, strong, accurate shot launched at the optimal angle even when his body is not. Dirk can create an open shot or square up and nail wide-open jumpers. He can drive with either hand. His only weakness is his post-up game, but even that is average for his position. That being said, he has learned how to work against smaller, quicker defenders, who used to give him fits.

Only a handful of players Dirk’s size have ever passed as well. Unlike the Spurs and Tim Duncan, however, the Mavs do not typically run their offense through him. Fortunately he has been teamed with some good point guards during his years in Dallas, so he gets most of his assists starting from the wing.

Dirk’s defense is more than adequate given the minutes he logs. He is a good rebounder who uses the fundamentals to gain position and avoid foul trouble. As a team leader, he tends to motivate by example. When the Mavs lost to the Heat in the 2006 NBA Finals, many felt Dirk could have stepped up and done a better job to rally his teammates. That view is not without merit. But Dirk showed in 2011 that he has the fortititude to be a true leader.