Mavs forward Dirk Nowitzki expected to enjoy a quiet evening at the inaugural NBA Awards Show, taking in the sights and sounds as his colleagues received awards and host Drake dished jokes. Before the show, Nowitzki said he looked forward to seeing Nicki Minaj perform. “I’m fired up,” he said.
Turns out they’d all be watching him, too.
Nowitzki was given the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, which recognizes the league’s “ideal teammate” who exemplifies “selfless play and commitment and dedication to his team.” Named after Jack Twyman and Maurice Stokes, who played together in the 1950s until Stokes’ career was cut short due to a head injury, the award is voted on by players around the league.