Dirk Nowitzki – NBA legend reveals: He lost 8 kilos against the pain! – US sports
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He gave everything in the hall, now he is paying the health price for it: Dirk Nowitzki.
As an ambassador for the European Basketball Championship (September 1 to 18), the preliminary round of which takes place in Cologne and the final round in Berlin, the superstar made a flying visit to Cologne to promote the tournament.
And as part of a media appointment, Nowitzki spoke for 20 minutes with BILD and the Funke media group.
Mr. Nowitzki, you recently said that your body causes you pain and that there are good days and bad days. What is your current condition?
Dirk Nowitzki (43): Luckily I’ve lost eight kilos, which is good for my feet. I can play tennis from time to time. I have to learn to deal with it. The foot will never be the same as it was 20 years ago. But it’s not like I feel it every day and cause me total problems. I do a lot of fitness through cycling or strength training. Now is the time to maintain the weight.
So the ultimate goal is to keep losing weight?
The motivation is of course a little lacking. For the past 20 years, when I go out at night and everyone orders dessert and wine, I’ve said no. That’s difficult at the moment. If I ate more, I have to train even more. Of course, if you travel a lot, it’s doubly difficult – also because of the kids.
Nowitzki is an ambassador for the European Basketball ChampionshipPhoto: WITTERS
Did you think you could ever achieve so much?
This is insane. I was in Dallas the other day. You drive to the stadium via the ‘Nowitzki-Way’. Then you can see my jersey in the hall and soon my statue – that’s quite a lot! Of course that makes me very proud. The Hall of Fame could also come, then maybe things will calm down for me personally.
The European Championship will take place this year in the Czech Republic, Georgia, Italy and Germany. In Germany it is played in Cologne and Berlin. How important is Berlin as a basketball location?
Berlin has changed a lot in recent years. In the meantime, the city has become one of the most beautiful in Europe. I’m looking forward to being in Berlin again for a week.
Dirk Nowitzki’s jersey (number 41) of the Dallas Mavericks will no longer be awarded. At the European Championship, the Basketball Association follows with the number 14Photo: TOM PENNINGTON / AFP
In 2015 you celebrated your departure from the national team in Berlin. In terms of sport, however, the tournament was disappointing. Germany failed in the group stage.
That’s right, the tournament had a bad aftertaste in terms of sport. It was a bitter experience. But there were also very nice moments. I will never forget the farewell. The image keeps popping up in my mind as thousands stood up.
Can you move about privately in Berlin?
It’s like I’m going to do a little something. I’ll never walk through the main train station or through a shopping center, but of course I can have fun.
Compared to Dallas: where is life easier?
I don’t hide all day in Dallas either. I take the kids to the soccer field or to tennis practice. Of course I will never walk into a shopping center there either. It takes a bit of planning.
A return to Germany is no longer an issue?
I do not believe that. The center of my life at the moment is Dallas. I can see myself playing a bigger role with the Dallas Mavericks in the near future. My wife is getting more into the art world again. That’s great fun for her. She has her network there, I have my network.
Basketball Vice President Armin Andres (left) and Nowitzki (right) demand the quarter-finals from the German teamPhoto: WITTERS
Do you see Berlin as the number one basketball location in Germany for the next 10 years?
It’s just unbelievable how long Alba has stayed at the top. Everything used to be Bayer Leverkusen, ALBA then did a great job. This is deserved for a capital. I hope they continue to be a great basketball location.
You ended your career in 2019. Are you still itching in your hands at the European Championships at home?
That will definitely be a little difficult. I was at the 2019 World Cup in China. I’m a little further along now. But of course I miss that.
With Slovenia and Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic, Germany has an opponent at the European Basketball Championship that you know very well. Have you already talked about the duel?
We joke about it often. I told him that he wouldn’t have a chance in Germany and that he wouldn’t make it out of the group. Then he just smiled. (laughs) Slovenia deserved a medal at the Olympics. You can just see he’s having fun. When he’s fit, they’ve got a great squad.
In addition to Slovenia, Germany also has to deal with Lithuania, France, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Hungary. What do you think of the team?
Lithuania and France always have good teams. Bosnia-Herzegovina should never be underestimated. Hungary will be the must-have in the group if Germany progress. I hope that the team will qualify for Berlin. Anything can happen there.
With Dennis Schröder, the biggest German star for the EM is questionable. What can the team do without him?
I hope Dennis can be there. Hopefully he will have signed a contract in September, then it will be easier with the insurance companies. And if not, the German team can play well without him. We have great guards, very strong big guys. At a home EM, everyone has to be dying to play. We have to show up at our best.
What will your role as EM ambassador be?
We haven’t fully defined that yet. I’ll help bang the drum. I hope we can fill up the arena. I’m an ambassador for the whole EM. Let’s see how we will structure it.
Seven German players are currently in the NBA. How do you see the development?
Just pure madness! It’s so great to see that the sport is becoming more and more popular in Germany. I’ve always tried that before. Usually the big tournaments were never in Germany. Back then we were happy that we had a pre-season game here. So the fans didn’t have to get up at night to see me. That has always meant a lot to me. So the circle closes a bit.