Former Dallas Mavericks star forward Dirk Nowitzki is one of the best big men to ever play the game, playing 21 seasons in the NBA.
That type of longevity is rarely seen in the NBA, but it appears that his long career may have taken a toll on Nowitzki’s body in his life after basketball.
According to Alex Kennedy of Basketballnews.com, Nowitzki has some regrets about his long career, as some of his injuries over the years are unfortunately leading over into his personal life.
“I keep thinking whether the last two years in the NBA were really worth it,” Nowitzki said. “If I had quit two years earlier, I could probably move better today and play soccer with the kids sometimes. I can’t do that at all now.”
Nowitzki’s production in his final two years in the NBA took a nosedive, averaging just 12.0 points per game in 2017-18 and 7.3 points per game in his final season.
The 14-time All Star was always a bit plodding over the years, but it became more and more evident towards the tail end of Nowitzki’s career.
Regardless, it is extremely unfortunate news, and many around the NBA world have voiced their support for Nowitzki and his health going forward.
This is sad. @swish41 is such solid dude. https://t.co/DIRFe9x2xs
— Haralabos Voulgaris (@haralabob) May 7, 2022
Nowitzki clearly gave the game everything that he had, and many former athletes reacted on social media voicing the sad truth of life after sports for many athletes.
On a more positive note, Nowitzki says that despite his body feeling the effects of a long career, he is enjoying retirement as he currently has a role with the Mavericks as a consultant.
[Basketballnews.com, Legion Hoops]
About Reice Shipley
Reice Shipley is a staff writer for Comeback Media that graduated from Ithaca College with a degree in Sports Media. He previously worked at Barrett Sports Media and is a fan of all things Syracuse sports.