Dirk Nowitzki
A German big man who revolutionized basketball with his unguardable fadeaway, delivering a lone NBA championship to the city of Dallas.
Born 1978 (age 48)·German basketball player·Birthday: June 19·Generation X
Biography
Dirk Nowitzki arrived in the NBA as a curious prospect—a seven-footer who preferred shooting from the perimeter. He left as a transformative figure. For 21 seasons, all with the Dallas Mavericks, he refined a singular weapon: the one-legged fadeaway jumper, a shot that defied geometry and defense. His career was a narrative of perseverance, marked by early playoff disappointments that made the 2011 championship run feel like a cathartic masterpiece. He single-handedly dismantled the Miami Heat's superteam, a victory that validated his skill-based style and cemented his legacy. Nowitzki's influence stretched beyond borders, proving European players could be franchise cornerstones and inspiring a wave of skilled big men. His loyalty to one city and his fundamental decency made him as beloved off the court as he was unstoppable on it.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Dirk was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dirk Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Dirk's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led the Dallas Mavericks to the 2011 NBA Championship, earning Finals MVP honors.
- Named the NBA's Most Valuable Player for the 2006-07 season.
- Became the first European-born player to start an NBA All-Star Game and to win the regular-season MVP award.
- Scored over 31,000 points, ranking sixth on the NBA's all-time scoring list at the time of his retirement.
Did You Know?
He is the only player in NBA history to play 21 seasons with a single franchise.
A talented tennis player in his youth, he was coached by Boris Becker's former mentor before choosing basketball.
The Dallas Mavericks retired his number 41 jersey in a ceremony in January 2022.
He has a signature move, the 'Dirk Fadeaway' or 'Fadeaway Jumper', officially named after him in the NBA 2K video game series.
“I think loyalty is a two-way street. If you want me to be loyal to you, you’ve got to be loyal to me.”
