Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki holds Tennis Classic: Looks healthy

Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki hosted and played in his annual Tennis Classic which is a fantastic sign for the big man heading into camp.

Dallas Mavericks fans likely breathed a sigh of relief on Sept. 15.  That relief was months in the making.  It all goes back to last regular season when future first-ballot Hall of Famer Dirk Nowitzki injured his ankle.  The subsequent surgery ended his year early.

Dirk is 40 now and coming off a surgery making no guarantees that he would be ready for the start of this season.  Fans knew he was working hard to recover, but that left no certainty either.  Saturday should have changed things a bit, though.

Dirk’s Tennis Classic

The annual Dirk Nowitzki Pro Celebrity Tennis Classic took place on Sept. 15 with the proceeds benefitting The Dirk Nowitzki Foundation.  The event featured current Mavs Devin Harris and Dwight Powell plus professional tennis players like Andy Roddick.  It appeared to be a massive hit.

The best news for Mavs fans came when they saw Nowitzki playing in the event.  You can see a short video here courtesy of Dwain Price.  Dirk would not be playing tennis unless he was back to full health.  That means the icon should be ready for opening night and be a significant part of the Mavericks again this season.

Roddick on Dirk

Former number one tennis player Andy Roddick gave a fantastic quote about what Dirk means to Dallas.  Check it out below from Mister Price.

The analysis is spot on and Mavericks fans should enjoy every Dirk Nowitzki game from here on out.  The big German likely does not have many more left, and he will go down as one of the all-time greats in NBA history.

Final thoughts

Dallas Mavericks icon Dirk Nowitzki hosted and played in his annual Tennis Classic on Sept. 15.  It was a fantastic event for fans and celebrities alike.  Dirk’s participation shows that he is fully healthy on the eve of training camp.  Another superb sign for what should be an exciting season for the Mavs.  Stay tuned.

The Smoking Cuban is the place where diehard Dallas Mavericks fans go to find the opinions and analysis that they desire, so please check back with us on regular basis to never miss a moment.  Thank you for reading.