Dirk Nowitzki has been one of the few bright spots watching the Mavericks this season

Dirk Nowitzki has been one of the few bright spots watching the Mavericks this season. While Dallas loses basketball games, Nowitzki just continues to be himself. His glory days are long gone, but he still has flashes of the player he once was and his fadeaway is just as unguardable as ever.

Mavericks fans got some great news from Nowitzki on Tuesday, when he told reporters that he was going to return for his 21st season. He will turn 40 next season and that puts him in the same class as Vince Carter, Manu Ginobili and Jason Terry in terms of longevity in today's game.

It's a little bit of a surprise to hear that Nowitzki is coming back for another season, but it's not stunning. He still contributes to the Mavericks in a positive way with intangibles and leadership. Even on the floor, he has moments that remind everybody what is capable of. He also has business left to finish.

Not everybody plays until they're 40. That's an accomplishment in itself, but Nowitzki is also chasing Wilt Chamberlain on the all-time scoring list. Chamberlain finished his career with 31,419 points scored. Nowitzki is currently at 31,187. He scored 927 points this season and should be able to easily pass him next season. He's also 1,105 points behind Michael Jordan on the list, but passing him will be a challenge as Dirk hasn't scored more than 1,000 points since the 2015-16 season.

What this really comes down to though is that Nowitzki loves basketball. He enjoys the game and he enjoys being around it. It will not be a surprise to see him stick around the NBA in some way after he retires.

Cheapest NBA 2K18 MT, Cheap NBA 2K18 Coins and NBA 2K18 VC Account on www.OnlineGameShop.com, instant delivery, 24/7 service. 100% safety!