On the evening of January 15th, history was made in Berlin: With the NBA Berlin Game 2026 between the Orlando Magic and the Memphis Grizzlies, an NBA regular season game took place on German soil for the first time ever.
Of course, Dirk Nowitzki, the best German basketball player of all time, was also at the start – but in a new role. The NBA legend, who ended his active career with the Dallas Mavericks in 2019, has been an expert on Prime Video’s NBA broadcasts since this season. Before the game in Berlin, Sports Illustrated met the 47-year-old at a media round for the streaming service.
You have been a TV expert on Prime Video’s NBA broadcasts for several months now. How do you like your new role, what challenges were there?
The challenge is to find a mix of criticism, analysis and celebrating the game at the same time. And: Basketball has changed incredibly since I ended my career. So I had to find my way back and research teams and players. But it’s all just so much fun.
The first NBA game in Germany is now taking place in Berlin. What does this statement mean for Germany as a basketball location?
I believe that as the reigning world and European champions, we don’t have to hide on the international stage. When I started with the national team in the 90s, we sometimes traveled to games in school buses. And now we are world and European champions, that’s crazy. We have come so far in basketball Germany in the last 20 or 30 years. The current generation of players and those coming after are incredible. There are more resources, more coaches, more attention. We have achieved a lot. For me it was almost the craziest moment: When the national team was the first news item on the Tagesschau after winning the European Championship. And of course, there is always something to improve, something that should be promoted even more actively, such as the women’s teams.
Dirk Nowitzki about DBB: “We are now one of the top favorites”
What do you think the men’s national team can do at the next tournaments such as the 2027 World Cup and the 2028 Olympics?
We are now one of the top favorites at every tournament. We have good role players, good shooters, good athletes and good defenders. Above all, we are staffed at least twice in every position. And then Isaiah Hartenstein, an NBA champion who hasn’t been part of the team in recent years, is added as an additional option. That’s crazy and it’s just nice how the boys and the sport have developed.
The NBA is currently planning an independent league in Europe. What do you think of it?
I’m excited about that too. We don’t even have any locations yet and it’s supposed to start in a year and a half. So respect, that’s a tough schedule. The European model with promotions and relegations is interesting, that is very, very important, a bit of our European sports culture is based on it. That makes the league more exciting. It’s like this in the NBA: If you’re bad for the first half of the season, you basically have nothing left to play in the last 40 games. That makes it a little hard to watch. In the European model, something is at stake until the end, for example in the relegation battle. But I’m also curious to see how it’s going to work out, the EuroLeague is still there and that’s good competition.
Why are such expansion plans and Europe Games – not just from the NBA, but also from the NFL – still so well received in Europe? Just imagine the uproar among football fans if Hertha BSC were to host a Bundesliga game in the USA.
These things have been established in American sports since the beginning. Back then I already had preparatory games in Asia and regular season games in Mexico. From the beginning, the goal was to make the sport popular and grow – and that has borne fruit. It’s hard to say why this doesn’t work in football. FC Barcelona was also supposed to play a La Liga game in the USA and fans directly threatened to boycott the season. I think the culture is just different.
Dirk Nowitzki on Schröder and Doncic: “Hope something like that doesn’t happen again”
Last week there was a small scandal in the NBA: Dennis Schröder and Luka Doncic clashed during a game. After the match, Schröder apparently tried to physically attack Doncic. You played with both of them: Have you already had contact with them?
No, I haven’t talked to them about it. I noticed what was supposed to have happened. This is of course unfortunate. The two also have a history. Both are ultra-ambitious competitors and there has always been trash talk over the last few years. Also this year at the European Championships. Pushing and trash talking on the court are also a bit of a part of it. But after the game all that should be forgotten. Usually, what happens on the field stays there. In this incident, I don’t know what exactly happened, but it is unfortunate. And I hope something like this doesn’t happen again.
Otherwise, how do you see Schröder’s situation with the Sacramento Kings?
Dennis is playing well, but the composition of the team in Sacramento doesn’t really fit. They have a lot of older players who have achieved a lot but are no longer as athletic. That’s why I think it’s going to be a difficult year for Sacramento. But I liked what I’ve seen from Dennis so far. He does his thing, tries to lead the team, is aggressive in defense. So all the things we know about him and that we love about him.
Let’s stay with the German NBA players: How do you assess the current situation of the brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner at the Orlando Magic?
Unfortunately, Orlando always has a lot of injuries. That’s unfortunate because, for example, Franz played at an all-star level for me last year. Then he had the abdominal muscle strain, which was a shame. Franz is a great all-rounder, he can defend any position. On offense he can do everything: make the game quick, pick-and-roll, go to the basket and draw fouls. If his throwing becomes even more consistent, he will be an absolute all-star in the league for me. Now I hope that he stays healthy for the rest of the season. Then the Magic – if other important players like Paulo Banchero stay fit – are one of the best teams in the East for me.
And Franz’s brother Moritz?
For me, Mo is the perfect role player for any team. No matter whether he plays for one or 20 minutes: he is always on fire, always supporting. Every team needs a player like that, a kind of heart and soul, and that positive energy. He’s just a fighting pig. He throws himself into it, plays tough, and gets under his opponents’ skin a little bit. I’m happy for him that he’s fit again and that he’s feeling good.
Finally, about your future: A few months ago, Nico Harrison was fired as general manager by the Dallas Mavericks. Your name keeps coming up in the media as a possible successor. Is that currently conceivable for you?
I think the GM role is not an issue for me at the moment. I always thought that when I quit, I would immediately go into management with the Mavericks. However, the longer I was out of the business after my career ended, the less interesting it was for me. I think it’s an incredibly intense job, 24/7, all year round. When the season is over for players and coaches and they take a break, the work for GMs simply continues with the draft, free agency, and trade deadlines. This is an absolute full-time job that I couldn’t imagine doing at the moment. I like my life the way it is right now. That something is going on with my roles at Prime and the FIBA Players Committee, but that I still have a lot of time for the family and children. That’s why I don’t see a GM role in my near future for now.
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