We’re nearly two months into the 2018-19 NBA season and Dirk Nowitzki has not yet taken the floor. Nowitzki, who is in his record-setting 21st year with the Dallas Mavericks, underwent a procedure on his ankle during the offseason that has kept him on the sidelines. There hasn’t been any sort of firm timetable for his return, at least from the Mavericks.
But on Thursday, an email made people think Nowtizki’s return is right around the corner. Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News tweeted about a pair of messages he has received over the last two days from trading card company Panini America about a Nowitzki-themed promotion.
Got this yesterday: On Dec. 10, Panini America will offer 10,000 sets of Dirk Nowitzki trading cards to fans entering the arena.
Got this email today: This has been moved to the Mavs game against the Rockets this Saturday to coincide with Dirk’s (expected) return to action. Hmmm.— Eddie Sefko (@ESefko) December 6, 2018
Unfortunately for those who like watching the greatest international hoops player ever, this was a bit premature. Sefko reached out to the Mavericks, which shot down that Nowtizki’s return is two days away.
It wasn’t be the first bit of smoke to the “Dirk’s returning soon” fire that has popped up in recent days. Earlier this week, Sefko wrote that Holger Geschwindner, Nowitzki’s longtime mentor, made his way to Dallas to attend a Mavericks practice. While it isn’t hard to jump to conclusions based on that, Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle tried to temper expectations.
“I don’t have a date for you,” Carlisle said, per Sefko. “But it’s about time for Holger to be here. He usually comes in the preseason, in December, comes a couple weeks for the All-Star break and comes at the end of the year. So it’s like the four seasons of Holger.”
Carlisle did, however, go on to say that “I certainly think this month it is going to happen if all continues to go well.” The Mavericks host Houston on Saturday for the start of three straight games at home, and perhaps we’ll see Nowitzki at some point during that stretch, it just won’t be on Saturday, despite what an email from Panini America said.
