Germans Proud of Nowitzki

I suspect that most Spurs fans aren't watching the NBA Finals between the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat. The two best teams in the NBA already played each other in a 7-game series, and regrettably, the Mavericks won. For Spurs fans, the 2005-2006 basketball season ended on May 22.

The Germans aren't watching the NBA Finals either, despite the fact that the greatest German basketball player since Detlef Schremp is just three wins away from winning the Larry O'Brien trophy.

The Germans have soccer on their minds, and rightly so, since they are hosting the 2006 World Cup and their team beat Costa Rica in the World Cup opener yesterday.

But the Germans know about Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks, right?

Scott Ostler writes:

But even though NBA hoops are foreign to Germans, they definitely dig the Dirkster. I chatted with fans at the Costa Rica-Germany game, and projecting from my sample, 100 percent of Germans know who the Dallas Mavericks' forward is and admire him, and 100 percent of them aren't watching him in the NBA playoffs.

"He is the meister," Marco said. "How you say? The master, right!"

"The NBA is the best league, and a German sports guy is on one of the best teams," noted Stefan, proudly.

"He won the first (NBA) Final (game)!" Georg said. "He's the best basketball player in Germany and he is a fair player. When I can get the channel, I will see (him play), but the games are always at night."

And mostly they are on pay TV. So what most Germans see of Nowitzki are a few highlights on the news. Enough to make them proud.

"It's a very good man, I think," Christian said. "He is by Dallas, yes?''

No, I'm not mocking the imperfect English. I'm impressed that so many Germans speak it, and well.

I'm equally impressed by Dirk's training: reading Joseph Conrad, rollerblading, fencing, rowing, playing the sax, and attending the opera.