Dirk Nowitzki

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"There must be a beginning of any great matter, but the continuing unto the end until it be thoroughly finished yields the true glory," Francis Drake. Arising from Germany is a born basketball player by the name of Dirk Nowitzki an amazing inspiration and The best German NBA player to have played.  A hero gives inspiration and plays as a good role model.  Dirk is a German born basketball player from Wurzburg, Germany and son of Joerg and Helen Nowitzki. (World Biography). Dirk started playing basketball at age 13 and went to pick up games at local gyms. His talent was recognized to most of the players in the room especially Holger Geschwinder. Soon after seeing dirk play in the local gyms he took Dirk as one of his players and started to train him to become better. Around age 15-16 he played his first competitive game for his coach Holger in the DJK division. Dirk Nowitzki." Newsmakers. Vol. 2. Dirk was drafted to the NBA in the 1998-1999 seasons and was the 19^th overall pick by the Milwaukee bucks but was then immediately traded to the Dallas Mavericks. (World Biography). A hero has talent, determination, and has accomplished many goals and dreams with hard work and effort. Dirk has the 3 potentials of being a hero: he has accomplished many goals and dreams with hard work, his talent has been magnicficent and unique and most of all, his determination to keep going, keep fighting. Dirk shows how talent is one thing to have to be a great player but you also need determination and hard work to accomplish the goals and dreams that are treasured most.

Dirk is the best European player to have ever lived in the NBA but his talent is not just about his ability to score but his ability to shoot the ball at a high percentage and being a great leader to the Dallas Mavericks. For various Germans in the NBA none have come close or as talented as Dirk is today and did not just start a great player. Dirk is explained as a "A 7-foot-tall forward, he was the sixth native of Germany to play in the NBA. Though Nowitzki is often compared to Larry Bird, another talented white NBA star, Nowitzki is very much his own player, arguably the best European to ever play in the NBA." (Dirk Nowitzki." Newsmakers. Vol. 2) Dirk plays this game unlike most other NBA players and not just by putting up numbers but the way he shoots. He plays more uniquely than most NBA players. He dominates the court with his deadly step back no one can guard or imitate. Being the leading scorer on the Dallas mavericks was not the only thing he could do, no, he does much more than scoring. "Dirk proved to be a team leader on whom the Mavericks could depend." (Hayslett-McCall) Dirk is not just a great player that can score but he is also a great leader to his team. Dirk was soon the reliable leader of the Dallas Mavericks. His talent exceeds that and he can recover after bad games or seasons and come back better then before. "He had a less-than-stellar rookie year in 1998-99, which made him unsure of his decision to come to the NBA. He only averaged 8.2 points per game, primarily playing small forward." (World Biography) "Nowitzki was emerging as a star in the league. In the 2000-01 seasons, Nowitzki's NBA game greatly improved." (World Biography)  Being a rookie in the NBA can be an excuse for not having a great season, however some of the greatest players emerge from a bad season and dirk is that kind of player. His season after the 1998-1999 he started to become a magnificent player and become a big star in the NBA.  Talent can be expressed in how you recover from a bad game and he has that.

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The fine line that draws between accomplishing and failing is the line of determination. Dirk has passed this line, to not give up to keep going.  "Nowitzki still rose to the Nuggets' challenge, staving off elimination with a gutsy performance by scoring 44 points, 19 of them in the fourth quarter, to lead the Mavericks to a 119-117 win." (Dirk Nowitzki." (Newsmakers. Vol. 2).  Down to game 4 the Denver nuggets were leading the Dallas 3-0 however Dirk did not want this to be end of his playoff game yet, no, he wanted to stay and fight one last game. The mavericks won game 4 119-117. They did not beat the Denver nuggets in the series but that didn't stop Dirk from playing his best in game four and game 5. He played till the end.  Win or lose he is always determined to go down with a fight. The mavericks grew higher when, "Dirk continued to put up outstanding numbers. After the 2004-2005 season ended, he finished third in the vote for the league's most valuable player (MVP)."  (Hayslett-McCall) With hard work dirk made his way to being part of the top 5 basketball players in the world. He did not do this sitting around doing nothing, no he worked hard season after, season getting better and better. "During the 2005 off-season in Germany, he worked on playing against smaller defenders, players he struggled against. The result was much improvement offensively with the highest field goal percentage of his career at 48 percent." (World Biography) After the 2004 season dirk ended it with averaging 23.3 points per game however this was not enough for him. In the 2005-2006 Dirk was averaging 26.6 points per game he had succeeded his goal. He is an outstanding basketball player with great determination to fight to the last minute of every ball game even on his bad days. That's what makes him a great basketball player.

To accomplish goals, dreams, you have to work for it, go through tough times and dirk has done much hard work to accomplish all the things he has done to this day. The Mavericks lost in the 2003-2004 finals after working so hard to get up to the last few rounds, however this did not stop Dirk from improving. "Dallas won 67 games and was the number one seed in the Western Conference." (Hayslett-McCall) Dirk came back after a tough season amd led the mavericks to the top seed in the western coneference first time in Dallas franchise history. Dirk showed it's not about how hard you get brought down its how you get up and keep on moving to get better, stronger mentally. Dirk has accomplished goals no one thought he would get and awards no German basketball player has ever gotten. "Dirk won the league's MVP award -- the first European player ever to win this NBA honor."(Dirk Nowitzki." Newsmakers. Vol. 2) One of Dirks big accomplishments is the MVP award for the best player in the NBA. A Dream he did not just get free handily a dream he worked for and deserved. His talent, determination and ability to take his team to the NBA play offs is what got him his awards and his first ring in the 2010-2011 season of the finals. The Dallas Mavericks led the playoffs going to the finals against the Miami heat in the 2010-2011 seasons. Dirk did not want his fantastic series lose to miami heat, on the last round, no he didn't go down fighting he did something greater. "Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present to you, your 2011 NBA Champions, the Dallas Mavericks." (World Biography)  In the 2011 play offs Dirk Nowitzki led the Mavericks to their first ever championship ring in history. 13 seasons in the NBA and his determination, confidence and leadership led him to win the finals. This doesn't just make him a hero to his team it makes him a hero for the city of Dallas Texas.

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Talent is not enough to accomplish dreams and goals, determination plays an extremely important part in this and how much work you put into your goals.  Dirk expresses that. With your mind set on what you want to do you can accomplish dreams and goals. Dirk inspires me to accomplish my goals, dreams I wish for. He does this because of all the accomplishments and awards he's garnered. He has shown me and many kids in Germany that hard work and determination is what you need to accomplish dreams and goals. Dirk really inspires me to be the best I can be and to keep working hard, and even if you have a bad day what matters is that you come prepared and much better than the day before.  Dirk Lead the Dallas Mavericks to their first championship ring in the 2010-2011 season - the first ever in the Mavericks Franchise history. That is not just an inspiration but it tells me anything is possible if you put forth determination, hard work and effort.