FiveMagazine.com sat down for a long chat with Dallas Mavericks and Germany
star Dirk Nowitzki. Here is part one of a three-part interview where the
former NBA MVP talks about his off-season, the differences of being a go-to
and a role player and thoughts one day leaving the Big-D.
http://www.5ivemag.com/nba-coaches/the-big-dirk-nowitzki-interview-part-i/
(Part I)
Every summer you are known to head back to Germany and work on your game. You
are now in your 30s and still do it. Why?
The championship still motivates me. We were so close in 2006 in the Finals
against Miami … It’s so much fun playing in the playoffs … playing right
until the end … on the big stage … it still hurts that we lost back then.
That was indescribable. That was the hardest loss I have ever suffered. I
still think about it. And some time I want to get that bad taste out of my
mouth. There are awesome players who have never won a ring. And people say: “
He was great, but he never led his team to a title.” I don’t want people to
say that about me.
It’s no secret that not every NBA player prepares so hard in the summer. How
do you deal with it when a teammate does not invest as much time and sweat as
you during the summer for the common goal?
I know I’m not in an individual sport. If I were in track and field maybe I
would have won something big by now. But I am not. I decided for a team sport
and I always had more fun in a team. I tried the other way with tennis. That’
s what makes it a challenge, playing away from your weaknesses or attacking
those of your opponents. That’s what makes a team sport attractive. Finding
a way to win despite your own weaknesses is important. But, sure it’s bitter
sometimes when a teammate doesn’t invest the necessary time. The best
example was Shawn Bradley. He would some times come to training camp and not
had a ball in his hands for four months. But what can you do? There is no
rule. Everyone needs to figure out for themselves how to stay fit.
Looking back, how do you see the acquisition of Jason Kidd for the second
half of the 2007-08 season?
Well, we wanted a playmaker who had been around and already seen everything.
I also hoped that Coach (Avery Johnson) would let him play his way, that we
would play quicker and have more fun. But just the opposite happened. Avery
pushed his style on Jason. It was tough throwing a guy like him into a system
which he didn’t really like. How could Jason play his best in that system
against the good teams from the West? It’s kind of funny though that Jason
held his own defensively. He still has incredibly quick hands.
After losing in the playoffs against Golden State in 2007, everyone spoke of
an accident. But a first round loss to the Hornets the next season brought
talk of the Mavericks’ swan song. Has your championship window closed?
Good question. I hoped that new players would have brought a new wind into
the team. After the loss I said Mark Cuban had the right to get rid of
everybody and start all over again. That was construed that I wanted to leave
the Mavericks. I was misunderstood. But now we are playing with the same team
but just a different coach.
But the race for the playoffs will certainly not be easy this season. And
last year you didn’t book your playoff ticket until the last minute …
The West is really tough. But that makes it exciting, that you have to go all
out every night to win. Still, just reaching the playoffs cannot be our goal.
Looking down the road, would you be willing to be part of a rebuilding in
Dallas in case it doesn’t work out for the playoffs with Jason Kidd?
Not even reaching the playoffs? I am too old for that now. And Mark Cuban and
General Manager Donnie Nelson know that. I cannot imagine us making any moves
which would cost us a spot in the playoffs. We still have a playoff-caliber
team. And even if things absolutely do not work out with Kidd, I cannot
imagine that we would drastically make the team younger as long as I’m in
Dallas.
After the Olympics, your second dream is winning an NBA title. Can you
imagine not doing that with the Mavericks - and maybe not as the go-to guy,
but a role player?
Of course it would be more exciting to do it in Dallas and being the
franchise player. The best thing would be me carrying the team to the title.
But the other teams have gotten so strong, also through some unfair trades -
Pau Gasol to Los Angeles and Kevin Garnett to Boston. Maybe I will see if it
helps changing teams in like three years. Maybe it won’t be fun any more or
I can’t keep up with the athleticism anymore. Maybe I will play in Europe
again. I can imagine all of that. What Karl Malone did back then - heading to
L.A. after all those years in Utah - yeah it was a little questionable. But
when you want the championship so bad, then you can’t rule out a move like
that.
Have you talked to other older players what it takes to become a champion?
No. I still believe to this day that we had everything we needed to win the
title in 2006. Dwayne Wade just played out of his mind, hit threes and got
every whistle. I still think we were the better team.
Maybe that was your only chance …
Well, if it didn’t work for me in the end … I saw an interesting interview
with Charles Barkely. He was talking about his career and said he can’t
blame himself because he always gave 100 percent. That’s how I see it. I
have given my all for the last 10 years in Dallas. And if that’s not enough,
I can’t do anything else. Then at 35, 36 - however long I can go - I can
retire and say: “In the summer and winter I gave everything I had for my
team.” Unfortunately not everybody can win. But I hope that I can still
fulfill my dream in the future.
Are you scared at all about missing something else in life while you are
chasing the title?
Basketball is still fun for me. I would rather be in the gym than anywhere
else. That’s why I can’t set an age limit. If at the end of my contract I
see that I’m not having fun, then I will retire. I am in a very good
situation that I don’t have to worry about money and have to play until I’m
38 because I don’t have a financial cushion. If basketball ever becomes work
- if I say: “I don’t want to practice or play games any more” - then I
will quit. I don’t want to wake up one day, drink my coffee and say: “Okay,
I’m going to work.” And one day I will have a family. But that is a
full-time job. I see that with my sister, who has two kids now. You have to
be there every day. And I will not be the kind of dad who says: “Mom, take
care of it, I’m leaving.” I want to be involved and be there for the kids.
But that’s the plan for the next stage of life. I don’t want to just go to
the beach or play golf.
(這人會是個好爸爸阿~~~)
http://www.5ivemag.com/nba-notes/dirk-nowitzki-talked-to-us-part-ii/
(Part II)
Looking at the German national team, a dream of yours came true last summer
by reaching the 2008 Olympics. From a sports standpoint, things didn’t go as
you had dreamt …
You’re right. From a sports standpoint, things were unfortunate and a little
disappointing. We had an absolute high at the qualification tournament in
Athens in June. We played our best basketball there. Then everybody had a
week off and celebrated a little. And it’s very tough to reach that same
level again right away. We didn’t have our top form in the Olympics, we just
couldn’t keep it up. That was aggravating. Of course, the main thing was
being at the Olympics. That’s why we celebrated so much in Athens. But when
you are there and have a victory in your grasp … it hurts when you lose. And
we lost our steam against the U.S.A. Of course, losing by 50 points did not
have to happen.
Were the Olympics off the court how you had anticipated?
The things I thought beforehand would be awesome ended up being awesome. I
will never forget the Opening Ceremonies and walking in carrying the flag,
and life in the Olympic Village. When you got back from the late game at 2
a.m. there were still 2,000 sitting around the cafeteria when you arrive.
Those were the things I wanted to experience the most. And I will never
forget them. I had already played basketball in China. And I play against the
guys from the Dream Team in the NBA.
When you look back on the basketball tournament in Beijing and compare it to
past successes for Germany, could you tell that the team had gotten older and
couldn’t afford to do certain things?
Honestly, I would say all of the other teams have gotten better. I also said
that at the 2007 EuroBasket in Spain, where we were a bit lucky to finish
fifth. Even then, I had the feeling that all the other teams had taken a step
forward. Younger players had been integrated and even the 12th players had
earned minutes and were scoring off pick-and-rolls. Everyone can do
everything. A year ago I thought: “We didn’t get any worse, but we also
didn’t really get any better. We kind of stood still.”
(怎麼覺得這句話也非常適合用來描述我們國家的整體棒球實力捏 Orz)
And in 2008?
Chris Kaman of course brought us some fresh air. It was important that he was
in Athens. Despite an injured foot and him being slightly overweight, he
really cleaned up under the basket. I can clearly remember some important
rebounds against Brazil and Puerto Rico. That was certainly important. He may
not have played a great tournament, mainly because of his injury. But even
with him, it was clear to see that we as a team are no longer near the top in
the world. We wouldn’t have deserved being in the top eight in the world at
the Olympics. The way that Greece and Spain took us a part showed that there
are two class levels.
What did you think of the performance by the United States? Were you
surprised with their showing, especially the team’s defense?
I knew they would really go all out this time, especially on defense. They
dominated already at their qualifications in Las Vegas in 2007. And now Kobe
was there and they got used to the physical style of play. They also got used
to the European system by putting LeBron James at the four and playing with a
small lineup. In the NBA, it’s very rare that teams willingly play with two
small guys. For me, the only surprise was that Spain was so close in the
final. It was clear that they were not going to whip them by 30 points like
in the group stage. But I thought it would be about 20 points. Still, it was
an exciting final.
And that despite the fact that the Spaniards started the 17-year-old Ricky
Rubio at point guard.
I really don’t know how the Spaniards keep bringing out those kinds of
players. Or Italy. One of their players was picked No. 8 in the NBA Draft
(Danilo Gallinari), who I didn’t even know. He wasn’t even at the 2007
EuroBasket in Spain. I had to ask Sven Schultze who he was and what he can
do. That is really crazy how other countries can come up with young players
who can really ball. For us (Germany), not too much has come out in the past
few years even though we did have a couple of new guys last year which was
really fun. Like Tim Ohlbrecht for example. Being just 19 years old, he
worked his way into the roster during the preparations. So that gives us some
hope. But over the past few years, young talents have never really challenged
the veterans for their spots in the national team.
其實早已經忘記德國輸那麼慘了啦. 結果Dirk還記得這麼清楚.....
Rubio超級可愛的, 看起來非常可口 XDDDDD
http://www.5ivemag.com/nba-notes/dirk-nowitzki-talked-to-us-part-iii/
(Part III)
Do you talk to German national team coach Dirk Bauermann or the officials
with the German basketball federation (DBB) about the long on-going problems
with the youth development in Germany? Do you try and find out what’s being
done for the youth in Germany?
Well, I’m pretty far away. When I hold a couple of camps in the summer it’s
nice and helpful. But it doesn’t really do a lot on a wide scale. I talked
to (DBB) sports director Wolfgang Brenscheidt about the youth here. But it is
a tough topic. The DBB and the (German league) Bundesliga have not really
worked together optimally in years - some times even against each other.
(這一段整個讓我聯想到我們國家的棒協與中華職棒阿~~~~~)
This summer there is the 2009 EuroBasket in Poland. Say you don’t play,
should fans worry about the German national team falling into a deep hole?
Chris Kaman would likely also not play and many veterans have already retired
or said they are thinking about it. A newly-formed team would likely only be
second-class and have major difficulties qualifying for the 2010 World
Championships. Wouldn’t that be the end of your German national team career?
Or would you want to play again in 2010 in a EuroBasket qualifying tournament?
I think that I definitely need a break this summer. The problem is not really
the tournaments. It’s more the five or six weeks of preparations ahead of
time that I do with Holger Geschwindner. That is getting more and more
difficult for me over the years. In an interview with the (German tabloid
daily) Bildzeitung, I was misinterpreted. It sounded like I would play if I
didn’t have to take part in the preparations with the team. That’s not what
it’s about. My personal preparations are the problem. It would be great if I
could just come to the team and say: “Here I am, I’m the greatest. And I’
ll take care of everything.” But of course it doesn’t work like that. I
need to train for weeks and really hard to be top fit for a big tournament.
And at the moment, finding that motivation for those weeks of preparations is
the problem. It has been okay the past two years. Last summer I only had one
week off after the NBA season before I began preparing for (the Olympic
qualifying tournament in) Athens. But that was okay because I had my sights
set on my big goal, the Olympics. I know the whole situation with Chris
Kaman. And that’s really a shame. But I really need a break. In one or two
years I have to see how I feel physically. A lot depends on how long I am in
the playoffs with the Mavericks. Of course, I hope we don’t get bounced in
the first round again.
Are the 2012 Olympics in London a goal for you?
The Olympics were so much fun for me. Of course it’s a goal! If I am healthy
and I’m still having fun, then I would definitely like to try again. If we
have to go to the EuroBasket qualifying and then head to deep Russia for a
home and away series, well that won’t exactly be fun, but whatever it takes.
While you were in Beijing, did you as a team talk about the future and the
past?
Yeah. After the game against the United States, we bid farewell to Patrick
Femerling and Pascal Roller, who had said they were retiring. There were some
hugs and we remembered some of the good times we had together over the last
few years. Besides Patrick and Pascal, Demond Greene also said he wouldn’t
play anymore because of his two kids. And I think Robert Garrett will
probably retire too. Steffen Hamann will definitely keep going. And Jan Jagla
too. And Sven Schultze told me he wanted to stay in the team. And now it’s
time for the young kids to come in.
Who will take over the leadership role in the team when you’re not there?
Steffen will have an important role as playmaker. He has to distribute the
ball and also score more points and go to the basket more. Jan has shown that
he can score at the European level. Those two will probably be the focal
points. And then there is Sven, who for me is the best role player around. He
is always in a good mood and positive and firing up his teammates. He is an
important factor and hits his shots when he is open. And he uses his will and
desire to make up for the problem that he’s not really a small forward or
power forward. Against the U.S. he even gave Dwyane Wade problems. And Dwight
Howard during the game said something like: “Man, you can’t be pushing me
around!” You can always use a guy like Sven.
So, you have now turned 30 years old. Have we already seen the best Dirk
Nowitzki? Or can you still get better?
My goal is to always get better and still add more weapons to my arsenal.
Physically, I think we have already seen the best Nowitzki. Back in Belgrade
in 2005 at the EuroBasket and in the 2006 NBA Finals. I have never been in
that kind of shape before or since. It didn’t matter what I did the day
before, I just always kept going. In the playoffs against San Antonio I
played the best basketball of my life, constantly scoring against their great
defense. Then in Game 7, I had 37 points and 15 rebounds. I am still in great
shape. And I think I can still play at the highest level for the next three
years. You get cleverer, and I hope I can add new things to my game. There
are still things to come. For example the hook shot. It’s falling pretty
good in practice. But that’s against no competition. It’s something else in
a game.
當然還是希望Dirk能以目前在小牛的地位帶著小牛拿到總冠軍以及總冠軍MVP!!!
不過無論他做啥決定還是支持啦 :)
所以, 即使會很失望今夏可能無法看到他帶著小德在歐錦賽的身影, 不過自己的夢想以及狀況是最重要的阿
May your dream come true!!!
還好,馬栩警覺心夠阿........
)
編劇與教授們真是太有才了 
