NEW YORK (USA) - Dirk Nowitzki admits he never envisioned Germany winning the FIBA Basketball World Cup, at least not 25 years ago when he arrived in America to launch his career.

"No chance," he said on the All The Smoke podcast.

But Germany did win the World Cup this year, reinforcing how the sport has become much more global since the days when the NBA's best players were just Americans, and USA always started as prohibitive favorites at national team tournaments.

Germany went undefeated at the World Cup this year and lifted the Naismith Trophy for the first time

After a legendary career with Germany and the Dallas Mavericks, Dirk Nowitzki is now fully involved with FIBA as Chair of the Players' Commission and Central Board member.

"Basketball has grown not only in Germany but all over the world," Nowitzki said. "We have international players from all over the world, MVP type players, franchise players. It's been fun to watch where the game has gone."

The USA are still the favorites, or at least among the favorites, to win Olympic gold medals and world titles. Yet the infusion of international players, and especially those from Europe, has not only given the NBA more of a global flavor. It has strengthened the play of other national teams.

"When I first got there (in the NBA) in the 90s, you had a few Euros running around," Nowitzki said. "Every team had a couple. It's been a pleasure to watch (the evolution)."

Germany's national team now consists of NBA stalwarts and outstanding players in Europe, where the level of the game is arguably higher than ever.

Andreas Obst of Bayern Munich was Germany's biggest weapon on offense when they beat the USA, 113-111, in the Semi-Finals of the World Cup. Obst was four of eight from behind the arc and finished with 24 points.

Big man Johannes Voigtmann of Olimpia Milano had seven rebounds and five assists to go with his six points in that game, and Alba Berlin's Johannes Thiemann weighed in with 10 points and five boards.

The Europe-based players gelled with the team's NBA contingent, which included World Cup MVP Dennis Schroder, Franz Wagner, Moritz Wagner and Daniel Theis.

"Dennis Schroder leading the team," Nowitzki said, "they were super solid, they had some shooters, some defenders. They looked incredible."

Germany had really good teams led by Nowitzki. He spearheaded their runs to third place at the 2002 World Cup in Indianapolis, claiming the MVP honor in the process.

Nowitzki also fired Germany to second place at EuroBasket 2005, when he was once again tournament MVP.

His play at the 2008 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Athens, Greece, was the key for Germany making it to the Beijing Games.

Germany today, however, have a deeper pool of talent. There is not much drop off, if any at all, when the starters come off the floor.

Like so many other countries, Germany has been able to get valuable national team experience for players during international windows, when qualification games are played for continental championships and the World Cup.

Nowitzki served as Germany's flag bearer at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing

Germany play at a high level, from defending and rebounding to passing and shooting. The same can be said about Spain, Serbia, France, Lithuania, Slovenia, Greece, Latvia and Turkey.

"The game has become more accessible outside the US," Nowitzki said. "The coaching's gotten better."

The NBA has also changed a lot.

"When I first got into the league, it was so physical," Nowitzki said.

"The fours and fives were all the rebounders, and once the NBA changed the rules a little bit, they put in the zone, they got rid of the hand checking - it got a little softer, so to speak.

"That's playing right into the European game, the international game.

"We (in Germany) grew up playing outside, swing the ball, five-on-five, pick and roll game. When I first got here (to the NBA), all plays I got called up and then it was ISO - just clear the side.

"And some of that with the zone, there are some other things you can do now that they sort of got away from and it forced teams to move the ball a little more, play a little more team game and that played right into our (Europeans') hands. I guess that's what you've been seeing, that the game is growing and its play is similar to the way in Europe."

Nowitzki's journey to stardom began when at 19 in 1998, he was invited to the Nike Hoop Summit.

He remembers getting the juices flowing by attending the NCAA Final Four at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

"We got to watch UNC with Vince Carter," he said. "I was just so hyped, and the following morning (the day of the Hoop Summit), it was just one of those days.

"I had a good start, got to the foul line a couple of times and it helped me settle my nerves. And I was able to show my whole repertoire, which was great."

Nowitzki had 33 points, 14 rebounds and three steals.

"That game changed my life overnight," he said.

Nowitzki had not being thinking about his NBA prospects.

"All of a sudden, I was on the scene," he said.

"People were saying after the (Hoop Summit) game, 'you may be a lottery pick.' I had been looking at colleges, or thinking of maybe staying in Europe. Barcelona, or a great team in Italy, Milan. I thought maybe I'd go pro there. And then maybe if I made it, go on from there. But that game changed everything."

Nowitzki chose not to be present at the NBA Draft. The Milwaukee Bucks selected him ninth and then in a multi-team trade sent him to Dallas.

"Didn’t attend, wasn't sure if I'd even play pro," he said. "I got a call in the middle of the night, 'Dallas picked you.'

"Donnie (Nelson), big Nelly, who was (Dallas) coach at the time, and Ross Perot Jr. who was the owner before Cubes (Mark Cuban), they all came to my hometown at Wurzburg, hung out with my family."

Nowitzki still wasn't certain he was ready for the NBA.

"THE GAME HAS BECOME MORE ACCESSIBLE OUTSIDE THE US. THE COACHING'S GOTTEN BETTER."

"Coming out of Germany, I hadn't played the first division yet," he said. "That was a big jump coming from the second division in Germany to the NBA.

"It was quite a decision. And then, there was a lockout (NBA labor dispute) in '98, so I couldn't sign a contract."

The lockout was a blessing in disguise for Nowitzki.

"That allowed me to stay in Germany almost six more months," he said. "I got to train, got to play first division for my home club because we had just gotten promoted. Those months were important for me. I played some men, had a little better competition every day.

"And then somewhere in January, they called and said, 'the season was saved.' I was secretly hoping that they were going to cancel the whole season, secretly hoping that I could have a whole year to train, get ready more and a little stronger.

"I came over, from February to May it was like three months, a crazy whirlwind season, so that was wild. I was glad I got through it."

In his second season, Nowitzki felt better on and off the court, found his stride and never looked back.

In his career that spanned two decades, two achievements stand out. Nowitzki claimed the NBA MVP award in 2007, and he led Dallas to the NBA title in 2011.

Though he retired in 2019, Nowitzki remains connected to the Mavericks as a special advisor, and to international basketball.

Nowitzki was Global Ambassador for the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2019 and that same year, FIBA appointed him Chair of the Players' Commission.

One of the most prominent international players now is Luke Doncic of Slovenia, and he has succeeded Nowitzki as the face of the Mavericks.

Nowitzki remembers when Doncic arrived in Dallas.

"We needed a little spark plug to change things," he said. "I didn't think it was going to be this kid. When he walked into this practice facility, you know he looked like he’s a big boy but I was like, 'I’m not sure this is going to work. Is he quick enough? Is he athletic enough to go by guys like he is in Europe? So there were plenty of doubts there from everybody on the team.

"A month before the season, players were testing him, fouling him a little bit here and there in the scrimmages and you can already see this kid has something about him. He's got that swag, he knows how to play ...

"He was flashing some of the talent. So we were thinking he was going to be a really good player. But I didn't think he was going to go to that level. That was his time to show. We looked to him and he took the ball and took it from there and just really proud of how he developed."

Doncic still has a way to go if he's going to match the all-round brilliance of Nowitzki, who not only has MVP awards, an NBA title and a Hall of Fame selection.

After he retired, in 2019, the city of Dallas renamed a stretch of Olive Street in front of the American Airlines Center, home of the Mavericks,  Nowitzki Way.

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