Hero’s Welcome For Dirk Nowitzki In Soccer Loving Germany

29. June 2011

Dallas Mavericks superstar power-forward Dirk Nowitzki (with ball) received a hero's welcome in his recent return to his hometown in Germany. (Photo: mhelgarrido.blogspot.com)

In a rare occasion, the soccer loving country of Germany gave honor to the sport of basketball over the ever popular game of soccer in the European country.

Residents of Wuerzburg, Germany gave a hero’ welcome to German basketball superstar Dirk Nowitzki when the latter arrived on his hometown more than two weeks after leading the Dallas Mavericks to their first championship. According to reports, Nowitzki was welcomed by about 3,000 fans in a Wuerzburg sports hall and signed the golden book in the city hall.

To those who witnessed the event, the fans also cheered “MVP, MVP” to welcome the most valuable player of the final series against the Miami Heat. Nowitzki even got into a motorcade to join an outdoor party expected to draw 15,000 fans.

The German countrymen of Nowitzki gave the huge honor to the NBA superstar to express their joy that one of their own was able to carry the name of their country in the NBA, the premier professional basketball league in the planet. The German fans of Nowitzki were also very happy that their top basketball export was able to finally nail down his first NBA crown after 13 years of waiting.

The countrymen of Nowitzki were also jubilant due to the strong performance of their own in the NBA Finals that earned him the NBA Finals MVP. Nowitzki for his part is very happy with the honor and respect given to him by his countrymen.

The superstar power-forward hoped he can win more NBA championships to bring joy to Germany. Dirk Werner Nowitzki is an alumnus of Röntgen Gymnasium and DJK Würzburg basketball club.

Nowitzki was drafted ninth overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1998 NBA Draft, and was immediately traded to the Mavericks, where he has played ever since.Standing 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m), Nowitzki plays the power forward position but also has the mobility, size, and shooting ability to play the other front-court positions, center and small forward. Nowitzki has led the Mavericks to eleven consecutive NBA Playoffs (2000–01 to 2010–11), including an NBA Finals appearance in 2006 and the franchise’s first championship in 2011, making him one of only five players in NBA history to win the championship while being the only NBA All-Star on the team.

He is a ten-time All-Star and eleven-time member of the All-NBA Teams, and is the first European-born player in NBA history to receive the NBA Most Valuable Player award. He is the first Maverick ever to be voted into an All-NBA Team and also holds several all-time Mavericks franchise records.

(rockefellernews/rb)

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