“Just try to treat people with respect, treat people the way you want to be treated and that's how I approach life.”

These words from recently retired Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki perfectly encapsulate his career and who he is as a person. These words, and his actions that prove them over the past 21 years, will forever be his legacy.

Growing up in the Dallas area,  I can personally attest to how Dirk meant everything to the city. There is not a more beloved figure in the area—an impressive accomplishment considering the rich history and undying love that exists for the Dallas Cowboys. The difference is the  Cowboys have had many heroes and identities. Jerry Jones and the media attention he brings, the triplets: Aikman, Emmitt, and Irvin, Staubach, Lilly, Landry.

Dirk is the Dallas Mavericks. The Dallas Mavericks are Dirk.

Maybe no other sports franchise is so singularly associated with an athlete. Dirk spent 21 seasons in Dallas. That is longer than any other NBA player has spent with one franchise. Mavs fans were fortunate enough to experience a lot of winning over those years thanks to their German leader. In fact, the Mavericks are second in regular season wins (987) to only the San Antonio Spurs (1172) since Dirk entered the league in 1998.

What's more amazing is how Dirk did it. Over his 21 year career he only had for teammates who made All-Star teams for a combined six appearances. All six times his teammates were All-Star reserves and his two most recent All-Star teammates (Josh Howard 2007; Jason Kidd 2010) were injury replacements. Steve Nash was the closest thing Dirk ever came to playing with a superstar and it wasn't until after he walked to Phoenix that the spectacular playmaking guard reached his full potential.

Despite all of this, Dirk Nowitzki was often criticized by the media and NBA fans alike. He shot too much from the outside for a big. He was too soft to ever get over the hump. He was too much of a defensive liability. He didn't have that killer instinct.

I remember the Mavericks being dubbed “The One-and-Done Boys” after three first round exits in four years from 2007-2010. Now with hindsight his skeptics have all been transformed into believers.

Dirk didn't take too many outside jumpers, he basically single-handily revolutionized the game and a position with his play. Dirk wasn't too soft to win, he won his team an NBA Finals against a stacked Miami Heat roster while battling through a broken middle finger and an untimely, aggressive flu.

Dirk wasn't a defensive liability, during his career he posted a positive defensive box plus/minus, respectable DRTG numbers, and learned to become a solid positional defender with quick hands and instincts leading to many blocks and steals. Dirk absolutely had a killer instinct, it was certainly on full display his entire 2011 championship run when he was called upon to make clutch play after clutch play.

Dirk Nowitzki shot his way to 6th all-time in scoring. He finished 26th all-time in rebounding—pretty impressive when you consider he spent the majority of his offensive possessions outside of the paint limiting his offensive rebounding opportunities.  That guy who supposedly couldn't play defense found himself finishing 50th all-time in blocks.

For the Mavericks, Dirk finished 1st in points, rebounds, blocks, threes, field goals, free throws, minutes and games played. Oh yeah and he finished 2nd in steals and 4th in assists—pretty impressive for a 7-footer. He leads the team in every single statistical category besides three pointes where he trails his buddy Jason Terry by 18 makes.

Like I said, the team's success is inseparable from Dirk's.

All of these stats are ridiculous. His game is undeniable. I could probably writes a million words about Dirk on the court. His triumphs, his adversity, his signature fadeaway, and his 2011 playoffs run. But that's not Dirk. That's not what he wants his legacy to be.

“Just try to treat people with respect, treat people the way you want to be treated and that's how I approach life.”

That's Dirk. The selfless, giving, loving person. The man known as “Uncle Dirk” at children's hospitals in DFW. The guy who knows nothing but humility and grace. The person who never fails to put a smile on your face with his genuine nature and silly sense of humor. The faithful husband and responsible father to his three children.

I cried at Dirk's last two career games. I was not alone, every Mavs fan was a bit teary-eyed those nights. But those tears were not tears of sadness, they were tears of joy.

Joy that the community got to experience someone as great as Dirk for as long as we did. Joy that Dirk got to go out on his own terms and in style (he had 30 points in his last home game a 20-point double-double in his final game). Joy that Dirk gets to go be a full-time family man—something every Mavs fan could see he was excited to embrace. Joy that Dirk is Dirk. Dirk will always be Dirk. And as he said in his final, bitter-sweet home farewell in front of myself and over 20,000 other adoring friends: he'll be around.

“This is my new home… I left Germany 20 years ago and I became a Texan.”

Dirk Nowitzki, no one is more Texan than you. Enjoy retirement. With love, the MFFLs.