The Dirk Nowitzki Foundation held their sixth annual tennis tournament at the Banner House at T Bar M last Saturday. The Hall of Famer would call upon former teammates J.J. Barea and Steve Nash to hit the court for a good cause. Nowitzki also had other notable names like television’s Phil McGraw and former professional tennis players Coco Vandeweghe and Mark Knowles. The 2011 NBA Finals MVP also called new Dallas Maverick, Klay Thompson.
The four-time NBA champion was traded from the Golden State Warriors in a six team trade this summer. Nowitzki reached out to Thompson to participate in the tournament and “get a feel for the community”. Klay Thompson would address the media and talk of his reverence for Dirk Nowitzki and Steve Nash. “I grew up watching Dirk and Steve, so have great respect for those guys”, said the five-time All Star. He hopes to “uplift the city” and “win” in the city of Dallas.
Prior to the start of the event, Nowitzki expressed gratitude for the support he has received from the Dallas community since his arrival in 1998. Events like these are a way that he returns the love he has received in the city for twenty plus years.
The Dirk Nowitzki Foundation awards grants annually to organizations focusing on children’s wellbeing, health and education. The foundation offers all of us an opportunity to help give positive experiences to children around the world. For more information, go to www.dnfoundation.org
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