Dirk nowitzki biography video for students

Dirk Nowitzki has jumped over so many opponents and won so many rebounds during his NBA career, but the German had less success finding a way through a closed off section of the motorway near Frankfurt early on Wednesday morning.

It wasn't that long ago that Nowitzki would have had help to find another route, or avoided the whole thing by taking a helicopter instead of a private car.

Elite players are so important to teams that such annoyances don't feature. However, such luxuries are a thing of the past for Nowitzki.

The 41-year-old has been a man of leisure since mid-April. A sporting pensioner, Nowitzki is playing in his annual "Champions for Charity" football game at Leverkusen's stadium on July 21, which means arriving 30 minutes late isn't really a problem.

Nowitzki: 'The pressure is gone'

This too is a new part of Nowitzki's reality.

After 21 years of skill, heart and record-breaking performances, the German is now happy t