Dirk Nowitzki is getting quite the Christmas gift from the Dallas Mavericks this year.
The franchise announced on Friday that it will unveil a statue of the retired superstar ahead of its Christmas Day matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers. The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m. CT with tipoff set for 1:30 p.m. CT.
“Dirk has done so much for the game and for our city,” Mavs owner Mark Cuban said in a press release. “And to show our appreciation, we want to ensure his legacy and his jump shot will forever be remembered in Dallas.”
Cuban announced plans for a Nowitzki statue earlier this summer. The team also immortalized him in January by retiring his No. 41.
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The unveiling ceremony will be held at American Airlines Center South Plaza with credentialed invited guests. Fans are encouraged to arrive at the arena early to watch the ceremony take place on the jumbotron. Doors will open at 10 a.m. CT.
For those who will not be in attendance, there will be a livestream of the ceremony on the Mavs’ website.
Nowitzki spent his entire 21-year NBA career in Dallas and led the team to its first NBA title in 2011. His name covers a majority of the Maverick’s all-time leaderboards, including games (1,522), points (31,560) and rebounds (11,489). He will soon become a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, as well, with his eligibility beginning in 2023.
