Nowitzki Thinks 2012 Games, Help For 2010 Worlds
Dirk Nowitzki Gets Help From McHale, Looks Forward To 2012 Olympics
Oct 8, 2009
The Dallas Mavericks superstar got some low-post and life lessons from one of the greats in Kevin McHale. The German big man Nowitzki also said he would like to play at the 2012 Summer Olympics. He also may help Germany get a wild card for the 2010 World Championship.
McHale Shows Up For Dallas Training Camp
Looking to give his team some special tips for the up-coming season, Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle asked former team-mate and NBA legend Kevin McHale to come to training camp. Even though Nowitzki and McHale can hardly be more different in playing style, the power forwards got along great. And McHale said Nowitzki is a walking mismatch.
"If he has a bigger defender, he can go outside more. But he should go to the post more if he has a smaller man on him," McHale was quoted on spox.com on October 5, 2009.
Nowitzki Thankful For Help
Nowitzki said he was thankful for help McHale was able to give him - both on the court and in the mind. "He told us about how it was for him and how the Boston Celtics went into games. Those kinds of things can bring us to the next level. As long as Kevin is here I will try to get as much out of him as I can," Nowitzki said on spox.com the same day.
2012 Olympics As Goal
Nowitzki also admitted that he would love to return to the Olympics after fulfilling a dream in 2008 by playing at the Beijing Summer Games. "If there was a realistic chance of playing there I would love to experience that again," the German star told the German daily Main Post on September 18 2009.
Wants NBA Title, Or He Would Move On
As special as the Olympics are and would be, Nowitzki wants an NBA title, especially as he begins to age - he turned 31 in June. "It's fully clear to me - and this is more than an Olympic medal - that I want to win a title. And best would be in Dallas because I somehow grew up with the city and the team. But if that doesn't look close, I would be ready to move," he said in Main Post.
Can Nowitzki Bring Wild Card For 2010 World Championship?
By not reaching the quarter-finals of EuroBasket 2009, Germany failed to qualify directly for the 2010 World Championship. There are still four wild cards to be handed out and the fact that Nowitzki would likely play gives Germany a real wild card to get a wild card
"FIBA knows that Dirk will be at the World Championship if we get a wild card and he is not injured," German Basketball Federation President Ingo Weiss said on spox.com on September 22, 2009. "The fact that he took a time off this summer was the desire of the Dallas Mavericks. Otherwise, the history speaks for itself. He is one of the few, if not the only NBA player, who has played at every FIBA event for the past decade whether that's a World Championship or a European Championship. And if everything goes normally, then Dirk will of course play at the World Championship. He has already said that."
