Nowitzki draws curtain on national team career

BERLIN - Germany's basketball icon Dirk Nowitzki has revealed that his days as a member of the national team are over.

The long-time superstar of the Dallas Mavericks gave an interview to the Bild newspaper, which on Sunday published the 37-year-old's comments.

"The last game at EuroBasket 2015 was my last one for Germany," Nowitzki said.

The 2.13m forward first represented his country in 1997. He would go on to put in many an amazing performance. One of them came in 2005 when he fueled Germany's run to the EuroBasket title game. Greece won that Final, 78-62, but Nowitzki was named as the tournament's Most Valuable Player.

An unforgettable moment happened when Nowitzki decided to remove himself from the contest with the result beyond doubt. As he walked off the court, the crowd in the Belgrade arena, many of them Greeks, gave Nowitzki a standing ovation.

The next year, the Wurzburg native was spectacular again at the FIBA Basketball World Cup in Japan. He averaged 23.2 points and 9.2 rebounds. His signature performance came in Germany's last Preliminary Round game against Angola in Hiroshima. Nowitzki poured in 47 points and corralled 16 rebounds against the Angolans. One of his three-pointers came at the end of the first extra period and forced the second OT. He then hit a couple of free-throws at the end of the second overtime to force the third OT. Germany ended up winning, 108-103.

Afterward, then Germany coach Dirk Bauermann said of Nowitzki: "That's competitive greatness. He gives you your best when you need it most."

Nowitzki had another great summer with Germany in 2008, when he travelled to Athens for the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) and led his national side to the third and final berth on offer for the Beijing Games. He averaged 26.6 points per game at the OQT. His 32 points and 9 rebounds in a do-or-die clash with Puerto Rico were decisive. The veteran was then honored with the task of serving as his country's flag-bearer at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics.

Last summer, he ended a four-year absence from the national side when he played for Germany in a competitive tournament on home soil for the first time. Berlin, Montpellier, Zagreb and Riga were the four cities to host games in the Group Phase of EuroBasket 2015. Things started well as Germany opened their account with a 71-65 triumph over Iceland and Nowitzki had 15 points and 7 rebounds.

The team then suffered heartbreak, losing to Serbia, Turkey, Italy and Spain by a combined 15 points. Germany did not advance to the Round of 16.

Nowitzki might have played this summer had Germany been chosen to host the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments but Turin (Italy), Manila (Philippines) and Belgrade (Serbia) were selected by the Executive Committee of FIBA as the host cities.

FIBA