The Great Nowitzki: Basketball and the Meaning of Life

One of the greatest basketball players of all time, Dirk Nowitzki, is profiled in the book "The Great Nowitzki" by Thomas Pletzinger. Nowitzki's unique playing style, which combined flexibility, speed, and confidence, revolutionized the sport of basketball. Pletzinger spent over seven years traveling with Nowitzki, witnessing his workouts and discussing literature and philosophy with his mentor and coach, Holger Geschwindner. The book explores Nowitzki's journey from his youth in Germany to his success in the NBA, including his triumphant championship five years later. It also examines the impact of Nowitzki's game on the next generation of ballplayers and the game itself.

Format: Hardback
Length: 448 pages
Publication date: 22 April 2022
Publisher: WW Norton & Co

One of the all-time greats in basketball history is the seven-foot Dirk Nowitzki. The Dallas Mavericks legend revolutionized the sport, redefining the role of the big man in the modern game. Dirk moved differently: flexible and fast, confident and in control. He thought differently, too. On the court, his shots were masterful—none more venerated than his signature one-legged flamingo fadeaway, a move that lives on in the repertoire of today's most skilled NBA players.

How did this lanky kid from the German suburbs become an all-time top ten scorer and NBA champion? How can a superstar stay so humble? Award-winning novelist and sportswriter Thomas Pletzinger spent over seven years traveling with Nowitzki. He witnessed Dirks summer workouts, involving fingertip pushups and the study of the physics, and spent days discussing literature and philosophy with Holger Geschwindner, Dirks enigmatic mentor and coach. Watching Nowitzki in empty gyms and in packed arenas with 30,000 fans, Pletzinger began to understand how Dirk and Holgers philosophical insights on performance, creativity, and freedom enabled his success and longevity.

The Great Nowitzki tells Dirks dramatic story like never before. Pletzinger describes Dirks youth in small-town Germany, follows the steep learning curve of Dirks early seasons, the devastating Finals loss to the Miami Heat, and the triumphant championship five years later. Traveling with Dirk in his final seasons, Pletzinger immerses himself in the community of people impacted by Nowitzkis game, interviewing everyone from average fans in Dallas and security guards at the arena to front office executives and Hall of Fame teammates, who reflect on what Dirks career means to the next generation of ballplayers. And to the game itself.

A masterpi.

Weight: 791g
Dimension: 236 x 163 x 38 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781324003052