Dirk Nowitzki

photo by vipflash / Shutterstock.com

Birth Name: Dirk Werner Nowitzki

Place of Birth: Würzburg, West Germany (now Germany)

Date of Birth: 19 June, 1978

Ethnicity: German, some Polish

Dirk Nowitzki is a German professional basketball player. Having played as a power forward, he is a special advisor for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has played with DJK Würzburg and the Dallas Mavericks. He is regarded as the greatest European professional basketball player. Dirk founded the charity Dirk Nowitzki Foundation, to fight poverty in Africa. He is 7′0″.

His mother, Helga Nowitzki (born Helga Bredenbröcker), was an international basketball player. His father, Jörg-Werner Nowitzki, was a handball player, also on the international level. His sister, Silke Nowitzki, has also been a professional basketball player, and a local champion in track and field.

His surname, Nowitzki, is a Germanized form of the Polish surname Nowicki. Dirk seemed to have indicated that he has a small amount of Polish ancestry.

Dirk is married to Jessica Olsson, who is of half Kenyan and half Swedish descent. The couple has three children. Jessica is the sister of professional football players Martin Olsson and Marcus Olsson.

07/13/2011 – Dirk Nowitzki and wife Jessica Olsson – 19th Annual ESPY Awards – Arrivals – Nokia Theatre – Los Angeles, CA, USA – Keywords: Orientation: Portrait Face Count: 1 – False – Photo Credit: Koi Sojer / PR Photos

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