Germany’s nationwide crew retired Dirk Nowitzki’s No. 14 jersey on Thursday. The ceremony passed off at Cologne Area, earlier than Germany’s recreation towards France at EuroBasket 2022.
Nowitzki first performed at EuroBasket in 1999. He was 21 years previous, coming off his first season within the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks. He retired from the nationwide crew after representing Germany at EuroBasket 2015. In between, he spent parts of just about each offseason enjoying for Germany. He led the crew to a bronze medal on the 2002 FIBA World Championship, at EuroBasket 2005 and a berth on the 2008 Olympic Video games, its first since 1992. At these Olympics, Nowitzki was Germany’s flag bearer on the opening ceremony.
Nowitzki’s jersey went as much as the rafters shortly after Slovenia defeated Lithuania, which meant that Luka Doncic, the inheritor to Nowitzki’s throne in Dallas, may watch from a courtside seat. Doncic sat with Mavericks proprietor Mark Cuban, president Nico Harrison, vp Michael Finley and coach Jason Kidd.
Throughout his speech, Nowitzki thanked Cuban for having “at all times supported me in enjoying each summer season,” through Callie Caplan of the Dallas Morning Information:
Cuban himself recorded the jersey being raised:
In associated information, on Wednesday the Cologne Chocolate Museum honored Nowitzki with a bust made out of chocolate, through Marc Stein:
After the ceremony, Germany’s nationwide crew, that includes Franz Wagner, Dennis Schroder and Daniel Theis, earned a 76-63 win towards France.
