DALLAS — Dirk Nowitzki said Saturday that Steve Nash and Michael Finley taught him how to give back when he joined the Dallas Mavericks in 1998. He started the Dirk Nowitzki Foundation three years later.
Nowitzki spoke before the eighth annual Dirk Nowitzki Foundation Tennis Classic at Banner House at T Bar M. The foundation marks 25 years this year.
Nowitzki tried to copy everything the two veterans did, from how they got ready for games to how they handled autograph sessions.
“I founded the foundation in 2001, so it’s been 25 years, which was a crazy ride,” Nowitzki said. “And I always say thanks to Steve Nash and Michael Finley, who were kind of like my role models when I first got here. And they taught me how to give back to the community. It’s like when I first got here, the last thing I was worried about is having a foundation. You want to make it. You’re excited. You’re nervous. Am I going to make it in this league? And then you learn from your veterans what’s important, to give back to the community that comes out and supports you always.”
“At the beginning, we were just giving out grants. We did that for the longest,” Nowitzki continued. “And then my wife Jessica got on board, and she’s the president of the foundation. And then we started to do our own fundraising and do more events. And so I’m just super happy and proud to watch the journey also off the court with the foundation, how we grew into the big foundation that we are now to support all these organizations. And we’re so grateful that we are in the position that we can highlight these great organizations that do so much good work, and that we can help them continue their great work for another year or two.”
Nash and Nowitzki were teammates in Dallas from 1998 to 2004. Nash left for Phoenix and won MVP in 2005 and 2006. Finley served as the Mavericks’ co-interim general manager from November 2025 until Masai Ujiri was hired as team president on May 4.
Dirk Nowitzki On What He Learned From Michael Finley And Steve Nash
Finley was suited and booted for every game, according to Nowitzki.
“I learned a lot from them on and off the floor. I try to copy everything they did,” Nowitzki explained. “How do they get ready for games? How do they talk to the media? How do they handle themselves with fans and autograph sessions? And then also off-the-court stuff with their foundations, and what do they do, what kind of stuff do they get involved in. So yeah, they were important for me in my first couple years, just to learn from, to pick their brains.”
“I’m always saying Michael is a constant pro. Starting with the suits, every game he was suited and booted, and just the constant pro, and I learned so much from him, and Steve the same,” Nowitzki continued. “So I think it’s very important for young guys to have good mentors, good veterans on the team that show them the way, show them how it’s done in this league, and show them there’s really no shortcuts to success in this league. It’s hard work on the court, off the floor. You gotta put in the work to get better both on and off the floor.”
Nash is again captaining the team opposite Nowitzki’s at the Classic. Finley is not in the field. Nash said Saturday that Finley is on his anniversary trip.
Nowitzki received the NBA’s Community Assist Award in December 2007. He also runs a German foundation, the Dirk Nowitzki-Stiftung, which works with children and young people in Germany.
Dirk Nowitzki Passes Giving Back On To His Children
Nowitzki said his children are growing up a little spoiled. He and Jessica bring them to the foundation’s events.
“Obviously, they’re growing up extremely blessed, a little spoiled, obviously, and so we want to instill in them really that being part of the community, being a good neighbor, always extending a helping hand is part of what we do as a family and part of how Jessica and I grew up,” Nowitzki said. “So I think they’re learning. We have them come out to all our events. They’ll be here today. They come to all the food drives usually and help out. They come sometimes to the hospital appearance.”
“We want them to be a good neighbor, to be a good part of the community, and just be good all-around people,” Nowitzki continued. “We travel a lot with them. We want them to learn other languages, learn new cultures. We don’t want them to just stay in this kind of bubble a little bit, so we want them to get out and learn the world and be citizens of the world.”
The foundation runs food drives at Thanksgiving and around Mother’s Day and makes a hospital appearance at Christmas. This summer, it awarded grants to eight North Texas nonprofits.
