Dallas, TX
Dallas Mavericks Icon Dirk Nowitzki Marvels at Luka Doncic’s ‘Unbelievable’ Growth
DALLAS — Dallas Mavericks icon Dirk Nowitzki played his 21st and final NBA season in 2018-19, marking Luka Doncic’s rookie campaign. Doncic’s progression since then has involved going from rookie to earning four All-NBA First-Team nods while being firmly positioned for a fifth.
“My last year was his first season,” Nowitzki said of Doncic via Mavs.com. “I mean, what a talent, what a player.”
Apr 9, 2019; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Luka Doncic (77) and forward Dirk Nowitzki
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Nowitzki confessed that he never expected Doncic, who posted averages of 33.9 points, 9.8 assists, and 9.2 rebounds this season, to reach the incredible level of performance he currently exhibits. Watching the Slovenian superstar in action, Nowitzki is consistently astounded by his remarkable talent.
“I never thought he would be this good. It seems like he’s getting better year to year,” Nowitzki said. “How is he doing it? You always think you’ve seen it all and this kid does something once a game and you’re like: what? What is he doing? The creativity and IQ and how he reads the game, and then has the skill to pull that off, that’s unbelievable.”
Reflecting on the growth and improved coordination between Kyrie Irving and Doncic, Nowitzki highlighted the strides the duo has made in their enhanced chemistry and tactical exchanges on the court have lifted their game and strengthened the team’s overall performance.
“After last year, Kyrie and Luka, understanding each other better, playing off each other better, knowing when to be aggressive, when to defer,” Nowitzki said. “They have a better understanding of each other.”
As the first-round playoff series approaches, Dirk Nowitzki expressed both anticipation and a touch of caution regarding the Mavericks’ chances against the Los Angeles Clippers. His official prediction was for Dallas to win in six games.
“I’m looking forward to the playoffs,” Nowitzki said. “We’re playing our best basketball at the right time. … The Clippers are always tough against us. They have a lot of length on the perimeter. They have a lot of guys to throw at Luka, so it’ll be a fun series. We’ve never really had an answer for Kawhi.
“So it’ll be fun, but I do think Mavs in six.”
Doncic aims to guide the Mavericks beyond the Clippers in the opening round of the playoffs, starting this Sunday, April 21.
Klyde Warren Park, a top attraction in Dallas for more than a decade, is growing. Park and city leaders revealed details about the project on Monday morning, which will expand the park to 7.1 acres.
The park, which opened in 2012, connects Uptown Dallas with the Arts District over a recessed portion of Woodall Rodgers Freeway. The construction will span west to cover the remaining portion of the freeway, totaling 1.7 acres of new park space, according to the plans released Monday.
It will feature the Jacobs Lawn, a 37,000-square-foot green space that can be used for all types of community gatherings, performances and markets. In the winter, the lawn will feature an ice rink. Next to the lawn, the Overlook will give visitors a view of the highway traffic below them.
The expansion will also include a two-story pavilion with 24,000 square feet of climate-controlled event space, plus a rooftop terrace.
“This expansion isn’t simply about adding acreage. It’s an investment in Dallas, an investment in the community and an investment in future generations,” Klyde Warren Park chairman Jody Grant said in a statement.
“The expansion of this Park is exactly the kind of transformative investment we must continue to make throughout Dallas’s urban core. It will add new green space for residents to enjoy while driving continued economic growth, connecting our communities, and enhancing the quality of life that makes Dallas a destination for families, businesses, and visitors from around the world,” Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson said in a statement.
Construction firm Archer Western won a competitive bid to work on the project, the same firm that built the first phase of the park.
Construction will begin by the end of the year, and is expected to take two years to complete.
FRISCO, Texas — After 12 seasons in the NFL and the last eight with the Dallas Cowboys, defensive back CJ Goodwin has announced his retirement.
Goodwin, 36, has played in 108 games for the Cowboys since he joined the team in 2018. He was the second longest-tenured Cowboy on the roster behind only Dak Prescott, who preceded Goodwin by two seasons.
Since 2019, Goodwin has been one of Dallas’ key players on special teams, recording 69 tackles with the Cowboys [ninth in Cowboys history] and 87 in his NFL career. In 2021, Goodwin became the first player in franchise history to lead the team in special teams tackles for three consecutive seasons.
After going undrafted in 2014, Goodwin received a tryout with the Pittsburgh Steelers after Steelers Hall of Fame cornerback Mel Blount, whose son attended high school with Goodwin and who Goodwin had worked for as a farm hand, urged the team to give him an opportunity. Pittsburgh would sign him as an undrafted free agent afterwards.
Following time with the Steelers, Falcons, Cardinals, Giants, 49ers and Bengals, the Cowboys signed Goodwin off of Cincinnati’s practice squad in October of 2018.
In his eight seasons with Dallas, Goodwin notched 2,211 snaps on special teams. He worked primarily as a gunner on punt coverage and was one of Dallas’ most impactful defenders on kickoff coverage during his career with the team.
Goodwin was named one of the Cowboys’ six captains in 2025, and the second captain on special teams alongside Brandon Aubrey. He finished the year with 18 special teams tackles.
In 2026, the Cowboys will now have to look to fill Goodwin’s shoes on special teams. Some of their offseason signings, like safety P.J. Locke, have a strong history as defenders on special teams and could end up being crucial for special teams coordinator Nick Sorensen in his second season in Dallas.
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