Dirk Nowitzki never cared much for the spotlight off the court, even if it cost him millions.
While most NBA superstars build their brands through endorsement deals, commercials, and business ventures, the Dallas Mavericks legend walked a different path.
Nowitzkis only major endorsement deal throughout his 21-year NBA career was with Nike, and thats exactly how he wanted it.
There certainly isnt a shortage of offers, Nowitzki told Spiegel via NBC Sports. You wouldnt believe how many watch manufacturers have sent me their models. Just like that. I give them all away. I am satisfied with what I have. How crazy do you have to be when you can afford everything but still clutter up your life with all sorts of advertising appointments? No thanks.
After leading the Mavs to their first-ever NBA championship in 2011, Nowitzki told Bloomberg he didnt have a business manager or agent. Instead, he relied on a childhood friend from Germany to help review contracts before signing them.
When you represent Nike, you cant always wear the older stuff, Nowitzki told Dallas News in 2015. You cant walk in and wear clothes from five or six years ago. So what I do is, some older stuff, once in a while, I pack some bags and take it to Germany with me. Ive got a bunch of guy friends that I grew up with that play basketball that are also 6-foot-10, 6-foot-11, 7-feet. And they can usually clean me out. They can have everything, old shirts, old sweaters, sweatsuits, and everything, shorts, shoes.
Loyal to Nike from draft night to retirement, and equally loyal to Dallas, Nowitzki famously accepted discounted contracts to help owner Mark Cuban chase free agents. Despite all that, he still earned $251 million in salary alone.
To him, that was more than enough.
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