Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki met his namesake Tuesday as he prepares to enter his 20th season with the team.
"Swish," an 8-week-old yellow Labrador Retriever is a puppy in training to be a guide dog for Guide Dogs For The Blind dog school.
The puppy will spend the next year with a puppy-raising volunteer before entering formal training school, the team said.
Nowitzki welcomed Swish to the team's media day, where he carried the puppy around in his arms to meet his teammates and pose for photos.
The Mavericks open up the regular season on Wednesday, Oct. 18 against the Atlanta Hawks at the American Airlines Center.
MORE INFORMATION: Guide Dogs for the Blind
