Beyond The Mic: Dirk Leaves Celebration To Let Out An Orbit Of Emotion

Dirk Nowitzki hurried off the court after the Dallas Mavericks won the NBA championship. Why? He needed a moment to let out emotions that had been building for half his life.

ESPN's Hannah Storm asked Dirk after the game why he left the floor as the celebrating began.

"I could already feel the tears coming," explained Nowitzki. "I had to get a moment. I was crying a bit. I was a little emotional....I actually didn't want to come out for the trophy, but the guys talked me into it."

Dirk Nowitzki, who had just reached his ultimate goal, had just achieved eternal validation in the basketball world, had to take a moment to let out the incredible emotion that had been boiling deep within him from the time he began playing basketball as a teenager.

Dirk had dreamt of achieving the ultimate basketball goal of winning an NBA championship more than half his life. Last night, he finally achieved his goal. I suppose I would've been emotional too. I'm just glad his teammates talked him into coming out of the locker room. He deserved to hoist up the Larry O'Brien Trophy as well as his Bill Russell NBA Finals MVP trophy. For half his life, including his entire adult life, Nowitzki was working toward one goal. Congratulations Dirk, you achieved it.