'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMUnxX//xAAeEAACAgICAwAAAAAAAAAAAAABAwIEETEABROBkv/aAAgBAQABPwDrVu66owC24Wrq/FF0CciOMEE7xo+uWFmNhoZZbKYkQTjZ+uf/xAAWEQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/2gAIAQIBAT8AUP/EABURAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAB/9oACAEDAQE/AK//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Dallas Mavericks took a chance on Dirk Nowitzki when they traded with the Milwaukee Bucks to land the seven-foot German back in the 1998 rookie draft.
The team got more than wished for, as the 14-time NBA All-Star revolutionized the power forward position and stayed loyal to the organization playing for more than two decades.
Let's pay homage to Dirk Nowitzki's amazing career with his top five historical moments.
#5, 14th NBA All-Star Game
Not many players get the is given a special roster spot at the NBA All-Star Game. In his last year in the NBA, Dirk Nowitzki was named for his 14th NBA All-Star Game and shared the honor of a roster spot with long-time rival Dwyane Wade.
Playing almost four minutes, Nowitzki was able to shoot 3-of-3 beyond the three-point line to finish the game with nine points. It was not really about the minutes, but the NBA wanting to give tribute to Nowitzki one last time.
#4, Reaching 1,522 games
After playing 21 seasons, Dirk Nowitzki was just bound to break playing records. The total number of games played by the German big man after his NBA career was 1,522 games. He is currently fourth on the list behind Robert Parish, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Vince Carter.
What was more fascinating about the longevity of Nowitzkie is that he played all of those games for just one team. He broke the record of John Stockton with the Utah Jazz doing 1,504.
#3, Surpassing Wilt Chamberlain on the NBA All-Time Scoring List
The NBA All-Time scoring leaders are truly elite players. Tallying 31,419 points in his NBA career, Nowitzki sits in sixth place in the prestigious list right above Wilt Chamberlain and just 732 points behind Michael Jordan.
It could be decades before Nowitzki is bumped out of the top 10.
#2, 2007 MVP Award
The most bitter-sweet award that Dirk Nowitzki had is getting the 2007 NBA MVP award. The Dallas Mavericks dominated the 2006-07 NBA season to finish with a record of 67-15. Entering the playoffs, the team was shocked by a Golden State Warriors led by Baron Davis and Stephen Jackson and suffered an upset first-round exit.
Nonetheless, the MVP award is not a post-season award. Nowitzki tallied 24.6 points, 8.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists while shooting 41% beyond the three-point line. Beyond the early playoff exit, the MVP award was well-deserved.
#1, Dirk Nowitzki becomes an NBA champion in the 2011 NBA Finals
This is when the greatness of Dirk Nowitzki echoed throughout the world. The Dallas Mavericks were facing a Miami Heat team in the 2011 NBA Finals which had just formed their big three of Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and LeBron James.
With all odds stacked against him, Nowitzki rose up to the challenge and that was solidified by overcoming a fever in Game 4. Nowitzki led the team with 26 points, 9.7 rebounds and two assists during the series.
