Dirk Nowitzki doesn't want farewell tour: 'When I'm gone, I'm gone'
At 37 years of age and playing in his 18th season in the league, Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki's legendary career is undoubtedly winding down, with his future beyond next season up in the air.
While the 13-time NBA All-Star isn't entirely sure when exactly he'll be hanging his kicks up for good, he knows how he wants to walk away from the game he loves: sans farewell tour.
"I don’t need that whole farewell tour," Nowitzki said Monday, according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Dwain Price. "When I’m gone, I’m gone."
The 2015-16 campaign has become a farewell tour of sorts for "The Black Mamba," Kobe Bryant, who announced his intention to retire at the end of the season in a piece for the Players' Tribune. The Los Angeles Lakers icon was adamant on not having a farewell run similar to the one Michael Jordan had, although arenas around the league have rolled out the red carpet whenever he pays a visit, honoring his career with tribute videos, on-court ceremonies, and massive turnouts.
Perhaps Nowitzki has taken notice of the treatment Bryant has received, and decided that's not the route he wants to go.
"Obviously it gets closer, but it's not like I'm thinking of the beach every day," Nowitzki said at media day back in September, according to the Dallas Morning News' Brad Townsend. "I want to play two more years under contract here, hopefully at a high level, compete, hopefully be efficient when I'm out there. And then retirement obviously comes soon enough.
"But as of now, I still think I can play at a high level. I'm going to work my butt off here these four weeks to get in the best shape I can get, and then leave it all out there again."
Nowitzki - who has a player option worth $8.6 million for next season - is leading the 15-12 Mavericks in scoring with 17.2 points on 48.1 percent shooting in 26 appearances, along with seven rebounds and 1.9 assists in 30 minutes per game.
He's just 30 points away from surpassing Shaquille O'Neal for sixth place on the NBA's all-time scoring list. "The Germanator" could reach that mark on Tuesday, when the Mavericks travel across the border to take on the Toronto Raptors at the Air Canada Centre.