Dirk Nowitzki gave a recent interview to German magazine Spiegel where he touched on a myriad of topics. He sheds light on the reason he fled to the locker room after the Mavericks championship, if he will play for the German national team this summer, why he doesn't have a lot of sponsors, his thoughts on Barack Obama's inauguration and talks about a special gift he received from Muhammad Ali after the Mavericks championship.
It's well worth the read. A sample of the interview after the jump.
SPIEGEL: You are now a German-American idol .
Nowitzki: To be honest, I slowly have the feeling that I'm not cut out for such moments.
SPIEGEL: What do you mean?
Nowitzki: Well, at the very least I don't behave terribly competently. I feel ashamed when the entire focus is on me. I think people can see that. In public appearances, I am stiff as a board.
SPIEGEL: You were chosen as the most valuable player of the finals. The fans see you as the player who led the Dallas Mavericks to the title. Does the sudden affection of American fans make you uncomfortable?
Nowitzki: I don't think that I played all that exceptionally in the finals. If we hadn't played so well together as a team, it would have been disastrous. When the whistle blew to end the sixth and decisive game, blood rushed to my head. Without even thinking about what I was doing, I ran toward the locker room.