A legend like Dirk Nowitzki can’t be contained to just one nation. Nowitzki’s number 41 was retired by the Dallas Mavericks last season, and today, the German Basketball Federation did the same. Nowitzki was honored at the opening ceremony of Eurobasket 2022 before Germany took on France at Lanxess Arena. Nowitzki becomes the first German basketball player to have his number retired.
After watching Charles Barkley dominate on the 1992 Dream Team for the United States, Nowitzki chose 14 as his number. He switched to 41 when he joined the Mavericks because Robert Pack already wore 14.