Dirk Werner Nowitzki (born June 19, 1978) is a German professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). An alumnus of Röntgen Gymnasium and the DJK Würzburg basketball club, Nowitzki was taken as the ninth pick in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and immediately traded to the Mavericks, where he has played since. A 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) power forward, he has the athleticism and shooting ability to play either center or small forward. He is considered one of the greatest power forwards in NBA history. Nowitzki has led the Mavericks to 12 consecutive NBA Playoffs (2001–2012), including the franchise's first Finals appearance in 2006 and only championship in 2011. He is an 11-time All-Star, a 12-time All-NBA Team member, and the first European-born player to win the NBA Most Valuable Player Award. He is the first Maverick voted onto an All-NBA Team and holds several all-time Mavericks franchise records. Nowitzki is the only NBA player to get 100 blocks and 150 3-pointers in a single season, and one of four to average more than 25 points and 10 rebounds in the NBA playoffs, only Nowitzki and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar recording four consecutive 30-point, 15-rebound post-season games.
