The Dallas Mavericks have been in the news a lot lately. From trading Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis back in February to winning the NBA Draft Lottery on Tuesday night, the Mavs seem unable to stay out of the spotlight.
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It’s been a roller coaster ride of emotions for the franchise’s fans, who mourned losing a beloved player only to be miraculously put in a position to draft a new one in the span of a few short months.
But amid this talk of new and potential stars, let us not forget Dallas’ original star and arguably the greatest player in the franchise’s history, Dirk Nowitzki. The 7-foot German unicorn not only helped deliver the Mavericks their first and only NBA title to date in 2011, but also gave up a deal that could have fetched him $72 million more with another team.
Nowitzki had a unique combination of size and skill set. And he stands all with another unique aspect: In the modern age of player empowerment, he spent his entire 21-year career with one team — the Mavericks. That kind of loyalty is almost unheard of these days, with Steph Curry being the only current player with close to that kind of tenure in one place.
Dirk may have been loyal to Dallas, but that didn’t stop other teams from trying to pry him away. And he famously turned down a 4-year, $97 million deal from both the LA Lakers and the Houston Rockets in 2014, opting instead to stay in Dallas for a 3-year, $25 million one.
When asked about his loyalty to the Mavs, Nowitzki won hearts with his answer in an interview with Shaquille O’Neal in 2024. “People here were great to me; people were loyal to me. They made me feel welcome at the beginning, then Mark [Cuban] buying the team in my second year, and we developed a great relationship,” he said.
“It was kind of people were great to me as they wanted me to succeed and having a great relationship with Mark. I just sort of felt like I owed it to the city and the franchise to make it work here,” added Nowitzki.
In the past, other players have taken reduced salaries for their teams, like Kevin Durant, LeBron James, James Harden and O’Neal. Their choices were either out of hometown loyalty or in order to chase a ring. But nobody has given up as much as Nowitzki — a staggering $72 million — to help build a strong team and go beyond his personal ambitions.
Things worked out quite well for Dirk in the end. He retired as a Maverick for life in 2019, ensuring his place in franchise history. There’s even a statue of him outside the American Airlines Center. It was built in 2022 and is arguably the coolest athlete statue out there, as it depicts him executing his signature one-legged fadeaway.
The statue’s inscription, “Loyalty never fades away”, not only perfectly captures the shared love between Dirk and Mavs fans, but it’s the rare case of a pun that actually slaps, as the kids would say.
Nowitzki calls himself “old school” in the sense that he does not find money his biggest motivation to play basketball. Money did not lure him to move to another team. He played the game for the love of it and winning a championship ring mainly.
Even then, Dirk still has enough money to secure his family’s future for generations. After that $25 million deal, he was rewarded for his sacrifice by Cuban, who signed him up again when he became a free agent in 2016, for a 2-year, $50 million deal. It was the perfect deal for Nowitzki to end his career in Dallas.
The German star made over $251 million in NBA salary alone during his career. If he is so content with how much he earned, what’s another $72 million to him, right?
Will any current player do a Nowitzki?
It’s going to be interesting to see if any contemporary players follow in Dirk’s footsteps. LeBron is now paired with Dirk’s old protégé in L.A., and he has a player option that he needs to decide on by June 29.
The Lakers were eliminated from the first round in five games and could use some help, especially at center. Would LeBron be willing to take a discount to make another run at a title?
The question of franchise loyalty is also going to be at the forefront when it comes to Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has spent his entire career in Milwaukee. But after their third first-round playoff exit in a row, ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that Giannis is finally open to exploring the possibility of playing elsewhere.
Maybe it will be in Dallas, as Dirk’s old team can now use the No. 1 pick as the centerpiece of a trade for the international superstar. Whether it’s Giannis, Cooper Flagg, or someone else who joins the team next year, they’ll have a lot of work to do to match Dirk’s legacy.
