NBA: Dirk: LeBron change to the Lakers “came as a surprise

Dirk Nowitzki enters his 21st season with a franchise at the Dallas Mavericks – a lonely NBA record. The 40-year-old spoke with Sport Bild about this milestone, his rehabilitation and the move from LeBron James to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Nowitzki was operated on his ankle at the end of last season and is currently undergoing rehabilitation in Dallas, but progress is there: “Everything is going according to plan,” Nowitzki said. “In the meantime, I’ve even thrown a little, even with a little jumping. It was clear that it would be a long, hard summer. I expect to be back in top shape by mid-September when the Mavs’ training period begins.”

Nowitzki and the Mavericks had recently officially announced that the German will also be playing in Dallas for the 21st year in a row, as many seasons have not been spent with a team before him. “That’s something special,” Nowitzki said. “I’ve always admired Kobe Bryant, who played at the Los Angeles Lakers for 20 years. Now I’m gonna fill 21. This is unbelievable.”

“I have always felt comfortable in Dallas, partly because I have a certain standing there,” Nowitzki continued. “So I couldn’t imagine playing for another club. Maybe I would have decided differently if we hadn’t won the championship in 2011. But so there was no reason to change.”

Although the Mavs have not had much success since the championship in 2011 and have not been in the playoffs twice in a row, Nowitzki defended himself against the question that he would do something to himself: “I don’t see it that way. I’m not doing anything to myself. I still enjoy the competition, the challenges and the team spirit,” says Nowitzki.

“I want to help rebuild the Mavs. With my experience I can certainly help the young players in our team, such as Luka Doncic,” Nowitzki continued. “But it’s also true that the fight for the playoff spots is going to be tough again. “Reaching them is our goal for next season.”

This has not become any easier for Dallas, which has strengthened with the aforementioned Doncic and DeAndre Jordan, among other things, due to the move from LeBron James to the Lakers: “This came as a surprise,” Nowitzki said of this decision. “But in the end, as a free agent, you make a decision that is the best for your career and family. That’s what he did. The West is getting stronger and stronger. Awesome.”