DALLAS (1080 KRLD)- The Dallas Mavericks will retire Dirk Nowitzki's number 41 before Wednesday's game against Golden State. Nowitzki retired in 2019 after playing 21 seasons with Dallas, the most of any player with a single franchise in NBA history.
"That has meant a lot to me," Nowitzki said Tuesday. "I'll never forget some of the memories we made along the way. Of course, the ones that are easy to remember are always the first ones to pop up. That's, of course, the championship and Olympic Games."
Nowitzki was MVP of the NBA Finals in 2011, when the Mavericks beat Miami four games to two. He started playing with the German national team in 1997.
"When you're lucky enough to love what you do, it comes easy to me," Nowitzki said. "You work hard, but you don't even know you're working, really."
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver is expected to attend the ceremony Wednesday night along with Owner Mark Cuban.
“Dirk is everything to the Mavs. First 41.21.1, and now lifting his jersey to the rafters. It is a special day for the Mavs and Mavs fans around the world," Cuban wrote in a statement.
Head Coach Jason Kidd, who played with Nowitzki on the 2011 team, will also speak at the event.
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