Cowboys’ Hall of Famer Emmitt Smith played for the Cardinals. Tony Dorsett spent his last season with the Broncos.
Pudge Rodriguez left the Rangers for the Marlins, and Rangers’ MVP Josh Hamilton bolted for the Angels.
All-time Dallas Stars’ favorite Mike Modano even played for the hated Red Wings.
Over and above DFW’s all-time sports icons sits Dirk Nowitzki, who will never ever play for any team other than the Dallas Mavericks.
We know the 37-year-old isn’t ready to retire. And we also know that, even though he’ll opt out of his contract and technically become a free agent in July, he isn’t going anywhere. Still, it’s good to hear him restate his unfaltering loyalty to the only franchise he’s ever known.
“We had one more year on the contract, but I think this is the right thing to do,” Nowitzki said Monday on KTCK-AM (1310). “We'll sit down with Mark (Cuban) and Donnie (Nelson) in the next few weeks and figure out how to improve this franchise. There's some moving to do. We'll put our heads together in the next few weeks. This was just one move that hopefully starts a chain reaction for us to get better and really compete at a high level.”
As he’s done before during his legendary career, Nowitzki will sign another deal in Dallas that gives him a pay cut and allows the franchise more money to attempt acquire better pieces around him for another run at a championship. Or, at this point, to build a team that can at least get out of the first round of the playoffs.
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Hakeem Olajuwon left Houston for Toronto. Karl Malone tarnished his Jazz career by playing for the Lakers. And, of course, Michael Jordan was a Wizard.
Nowitzki, however, will play all 20 of his NBA seasons with one team – his Mavericks. He might be the greatest athlete in DFW sports history. He definitely has the best loyalty.
A native Texan who was born in Duncanville and graduated from UT-Arlington, Richie Whitt has been a mainstay in the Metroplex media since 1986. He’s held prominent roles on all media platforms including newspaper (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Dallas Observer), radio (105.3 The Fan) and TV (co-host on TXA 21 and numerous guest appearances, including NBC 5). He lives in McKinney with his wife, Sybil, and two very spoiled dogs.
