The Book of Dirk: Dirk Nowitzki and Thomas Pletzinger Discuss New Book 'The Great Nowitzki'
writer Vincent ArrietaThe first time I ever saw Dirk Nowitzki was not on the basketball court, laser-focused on his game, leaping in the air with his one-legged fadeaway jump shot and bathing in the adoration of 20,000 fans chanting “MVP!” No, the first time I ever saw Dirk Nowitzki in person, he was sitting behind a desk in an office.
Pletzinger’s unconventional narrative, a mostly first-person narrative that traces seven years of his own experiences with Nowitzki from the Mavericks’ playoff elimination in 2012 to Nowitzki’s final game before retirement against the San Antonio Spurs in 2019. Occasional leaps back in time via accounts by Nowitzki’s family, friends, teammates, and associates – all of whom become characters in a-esque narrative – attempt to make sense of Nowitzki’s extraordinary successes.
The book’s greatest success is perhaps what is omitted rather than what is contained. It is not packed with stats or technical descriptions of the game. An actual basketball game is not described in detail until 259 pages in, when the book recounts the 2011 NBA Championship. Its portrayal of Nowitzki is neither one of glowing admiration by a fan as many biographies are or ego-driven as many autobiographies are.
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