Dirk Nowitzki on Talks with Masai Ujiri About a Mavericks Return

Reconnecting with the Mavericks

Dirk Nowitzki has softened his stance toward the Dallas organization after a period of distance. He was frustrated with several front-office moves in the past and stepped back for a while, but things have begun to shift since Masai Ujiri became team president. Nowitzki says he and Ujiri have started talking about the future and that Ujiri has expressed interest in having him involved with the franchise again.

Those conversations are still in the early stages. Nowitzki stresses there’s nothing imminent — he’s busy with broadcasting work and his role as a FIBA ambassador — but he’s open to staying connected and helping the team when the timing works.

Possible role and a lasting legacy

Nowitzki hinted he could take on more input behind the scenes if circumstances allow, though frequent travel and current commitments could make a full-time front-office job difficult right now. He says he’ll always be a Maverick at heart and will continue to follow the team closely.

As for his on-court legacy, Nowitzki’s resume speaks for itself. He arrived in Dallas via a draft-day trade after being picked ninth in 1998, led the Mavericks to their lone championship in 2011 and earned Finals MVP honors that postseason. He was the league MVP in 2007, made 14 All-Star teams, earned multiple All-NBA selections across all three teams, and was named to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team. He finished his career with 31,560 points, a mark that placed him among the NBA’s all-time scoring leaders.