14 and 41: The story behind Nowitzki's jersey numbers

MUNICH (Germany) - German legend Dirk Nowitzki was so good, he's having two numbers retired in 2022 having become renowned for wearing 14 and 41 during an illustrious playing career.

Nowitzki had his number 41 jersey retired by Dallas Mavericks earlier this year and will have the same honor presented to him at FIBA EuroBasket 2022 when the German Basketball Federation retire the number 14 jersey.

Fans across the world became accustomed to seeing Nowitzki's trademark one-legged fadeaway over the course of two decades - first making it onto the senior international stage in 1998.

But what was it that led to Nowitzki opting for those particular numbers? 

The story involves two players: Charles Barkley and Robert Pack.

"I started playing basketball around 1991-92 and the Dream Team at the time played in Barcelona. I was big fan a of Charles Barkley who was wearing number 14 at the Olympics. That's how I got 14 for basically my entire international career," Nowitzki explained.

Charles Barkley's wore #14 at the 1992 Olympics.

But the number he wore back in Europe didn't make it across the pond after Nowitzki was selected with the ninth pick in the 1998 NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and subsequently traded to the Mavericks.

"When I came to the USA, I wanted number 14, but a player named Robert Pack had it and didn't want to give it up to a young German rookie," Nowitzki laughed.  "So I ended up flipping the numbers and it worked out great. Internationally for Germany I was always 14 and in the USA I was 41, so it kind of worked perfectly."

Highlights of a successful 25-year professional career for the German legend include winning an NBA Championship as Finals MVP in 2011 having earlier earned MVP awards in two major international tournaments; first at the World Cup in 2002 and then FIBA EuroBasket 2005. 

With Nowitzki leading the way, Germany finished third in the 2002 event and were runners-up in 2005. 

Nowitzki finished his international career having played 153 games for Germany

Nowitzki will have his jersey retired in an official ceremony in Cologne on the opening day of EuroBasket later this year, on September 1, 2022.

FIBA