When Dirk Nowitzki decided to retire at the end of the 2018-19 season, one of the things that the city of Dallas decided to do to show their appreciation was to rename Olive Street — one of the streets near American Airlines Center — into Nowitzki Way. However, the Mavs icon wasn't really a fan of the decision.
In an appearance on Dennis and Cowlishaw show on ESPN Dallas 103.3 (via Dallas Morning News), Nowitzki admitted that he's a bit embarrassed by the fact that a street has been named after him.
“That's almost a little embarrassing for me, it's almost too much. I came and I wanted to do my job every day, and that's entertaining people and winning and enjoying doing it, so I'm really appreciative and humbled that people enjoyed that and liked what they saw.”
Nowitzki spent his entire career with the Mavs, leading them to two Finals appearances and one NBA championship. He sacrificed a lot for the benefit of the team, including taking pay cuts on several occasions so that they can be more competitive.
Dirk initially had no plans to retire during the early parts of the season, and his desire to play one more year increased when the Mavs acquired Kristaps Porzingis from the New York Knicks back in February. However, he ultimately decided that it was time for him to pass the torch.
Dallas was a witness to Nowitzki's greatness. From a skinny rookie back in 1998, he worked his way into the top of the league and became the greatest international player of all-time. Mavs fans are thankful for everything that he's done, and for them, naming a street after him is nothing compared to what he did for the hometown franchise.
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