CHARLOTTE — Dirk Nowitzki wants to be everywhere, treating his final NBA All-Star Weekend as if it were his first.
The novelty is not gone for Nowitzki, the Dallas Mavericks’ forward who entered the NBA in the 1998 draft out of Germany, who is serving as an honorary All-Star Sunday as part of Team Giannis.
“This could be the last time I’m on this stage. I’m taking it all in,” Nowitzki, 40, said Saturday during a practice at Bojangles Coliseum.
Revived by rookie wunderkind Luka Doncic and his other “half-my-age” teammates, Nowitzki hasn’t decided whether to play next season — Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has a spot in the organization waiting either way — but Nowitzki wants to be on the court Sunday.
“This isn’t getting old,” Nowitzki, a 14-time All-Star, said after a self-deprecating jab at his own age.
Friday night Nowitzki acted as an assistant coach for Team World in the Rising Stars Challenge. And if he finds a seat he likes Saturday night, he’ll be there for the 3-point shootout and slam dunk competition, too.
Dwyane Wade turned 37 in January and is an All-Star with Team LeBron. Wade said last week his only goal with to throw James, his former teammate with the Miami Heat and Cleveland Cavaliers, one final lob.
Wade conceded yesterday he has bigger goals, but he doesn’t know if he will find five minutes or 20 in the game.
“I’m excited for it,” said Wade, an All-Star for the 13th time. “LeBron being the captain, picking me to be on his team, this is the perfect ending to me and his careers like this.”
—By Jeff Reynolds, Field Level Media
