Published: 14 August, 2009, 16:08
Edited: 14 August, 2009, 16:08
Team Germany – one of the main obstacles for Russia at next month's European Basketball Championships in Poland - will have to do without its biggest star Dirk Nowitzki, AP reports.
On Friday, the German basketball federation announced that Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban had prohibited Nowitzki from taking part in the event, despite the fact the forward has played for Germany at several major international events before.
Federation president Ingo Weiss said there were no hard feelings, however, and that the federation accepted this decision “completely”.
“Over the past 10 years, we've had an excellent and reliable partnership with Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks, who always made it possible for Dirk to play for the national team,” Weiss says.
The all-time German great, who would have liked to help his national team in Poland, says he “can understand Mark Cuban's position."
The 2007 NBA Most Valuable Player led his Bundesteam to bronze at the 2002 World Champs in the USA and grabbed the European silver in 2005.
Germany and Russia are due to meet each other at the group stage in Poland.