Dirk Nowitzki says retirement is ‘out of the question’
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Dirk Nowitzki told reporters Tuesday that it’s “out of the question” that he might retire before next season.
Nowitzki, 37, said following the Mavericks’ exit from the playoffs on Monday that he “definitely won’t retire,” and added that he “felt great” this season.
With the Mavericks’ 4–1 first-round series exit to the Thunder, Nowitzki has finished his 18th NBA season, all with Dallas. He averaged 18.3 points to lead the team and 6.5 rebounds, bolstering a playoff return. He averaged 20.4 points in five postseason games.
Nowitzki holds a player option for next season worth $8.69 million. In the past, he has agreed to restructure his deal to help the Mavericks free up money to sign free agents.
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Nowitzki added that he could unretire from international play to suit up for Germany, should his home country end up hosting a pre-Olympic qualifying tournament this summer. An ongoing feud between FIBA and many international federations over their club teams’ participation in the Euroleague includes Italy and Serbia, both currently slated to host qualifiers. Should FIBA choose to exclude those nations from the Olympics, Germany could potentially host a qualifier and give Nowitzki another shot to play in front of German fans.
