Dallas Mavericks’ Dirk Nowitzki: ‘I Definitely Won’t Retire’

Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

The 2015-16 NBA campaign has officially come to an end for the Dallas Mavericks.

With the Oklahoma City Thunder making easy work of the Mavericks in five games during the first round of the NBA playoffs, the team’s front office will go back to the drawing board to try to figure out a way to build a roster talented enough to compete in the Western Conference.

Fortunately for Dallas, Dirk Nowitzki has no intention of walking away from the team in NBA free agency nor will he retire. Nowitzki assured Mavericks fans that he will be returning next during his exit interview with the team, via Tim MacMahon of ESPN:

Dirk Nowitzki is not done yet.

The 37-year-old left no doubt about that during his exit interviews the day after the Dallas Mavericks’ season ended.

“I definitely won’t retire,” Nowitzki said Tuesday. “That’s out of the question. I felt great this year. I feel like I can still play efficient enough to be there for the team. No, retirement is no question at all.”

At 37, Nowitzki is still going strong and ready to extend his NBA career. Nowitzki will turn 38 in June and seems highly motivated to keep pressing forward. The Mavericks star will suit up for a 19th season come October, and as long as owner Mark Cuban pulls out all the stops to continue to surround him with talent, the German superstar will likely continue to be a productive player in Dallas.

In 75 games, Nowitzki averaged 18.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game while shooting 44.8 percent from the floor and 36.8 from beyond the arc. Nowitzki may not be putting up MVP-caliber numbers, but the veteran forward is still a force to be reckoned with and able to stay healthy through the rigors of an 82-game season.