Dirk Nowitzki still undecided on playing in Europe during the Lockout – NBA Update
The reigning NBA Finals MVP and the face of Dallas Mavericks Dirk Nowitzki is still undecided about playing in Europe during the NBA lockout. The Mavericks star player revealed as such in a recent interview.
Nowitzki stock has never been so high, understandably so, after he was the best player in the NBA Finals. The player has had many offers for next season. However, the lanky power forward who led the Mavs to the NBA World Championship
last season is still undecided.
Nowitzki has previously declared that he would be open to such a move should the lockout persist. He reiterated that stance, saying he could use the playing time to stay in shape. The player certainly does need to look after himself
as the years have started to catch up with him - Nowitzki turned 33 this year.
The main thing is that Dirk doesn’t really fancy all the hassle of going away from the United States to play basketball and then return mid season if the lockout ends. He wants to commit to a cause full time. His optimism about
the NBA labour dispute is therefore what is stopping him from inking a deal with a European team.
Dirk doesn’t believe the lockout will cost the whole NBA season. If that is the case, he doesn’t want to go back and forth between the two sides of Atlantic. However if he season does get cancelled, Dirk’s hand will be forced,
“I’ve always said I’m too old to sit around for a whole year,” said Nowitzki. “I still can’t see this being a long lockout, but if it is, I’m going to find somewhere to play.”
Dirk was sensational in the playoffs last season. He was always the go to guy for the Mavericks down the stretch. The player delivered on his promise this season to silence the critics and finally clinch and NBA World Championship,
something that had been missing from his resume.
Now he is on top of the world with endorsement deals and adoring fans lining up to get some of the big man. A number of professional basketball teams, especially in his native Germany, have showed an interest in signing the player
for next season.
Most prominent among them is Bayern Munich. Bayern are one of the biggest names in European club football and now want to make a splash in the basketball circles. Recruiting the best German basketball player of all time, and one
of the best in the NBA, would certainly help them achieve the goal.
Getting Nowitzki to commit though will not be easy. The 7-foot power forward has so far shied away from such talks and is concentrating on the German National team for the Euro Basket tournament.
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