Dirk Nowitzki was one of those rare players that got do the impossible this season: He retired with the only team for which he ever played. That just doesn’t happen anymore — players move around and teams pull off trades as part of the modern day NBA ecosystem. But for the Mavericks and Dirk, it was different. His attachment to the Mavericks and city of Dallas was equaled by the franchise. Neither side could ever separate from one another.
Then, as his career came to an end, he got the send off he deserved. It was a beautiful moment where the Mavericks an fans in Dallas got to give their regards to the best player in franchise history. Eventually, Dirk returned the favor with a heartfelt thank you message to the city. Nowitzki expressed his gratitude on Sunday with a gigantic ad that took up an entire page in the Dallas Morning News.
Dirk took out a full-page ad thanking fans in Dallas ✊
(via @SportsDayDFW) pic.twitter.com/NZgTFyqRMO
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) April 21, 2019
According to Brad Townsend, a reporter with the paper, Nowitzki put a ton of work into making sure he did this the right way.
In case anyone is wondering, I’m told Dirk spent quite a while searching for the right words. I would say he more than succeded. No ghost writer. Came from the heart. https://t.co/mbWEigTtXr
— Brad Townsend (@townbrad) April 21, 2019
This is pretty classic Dirk. He never wanted a full-fledged retirement tour, and while he owned the spotlight he was given, he actively tried to avoid getting it. Making his final gesture with the team a simple thank you letter is perfect for a legend like him. It’s thoughtful and carries a ton of weight, but it doesn’t immediately grab attention.
Of course, this also doesn’t mean that Dirk is going to be gone from the Mavericks forever. He will absolutely still be involved with the franchise and they want him around. He might be done playing but this isn’t the last we’re going to see of him.
