Having just become the highest scoring foreign born player in NBA history, Dirk Nowitzki would be forgiven for looking ahead to his next personal milestone. The Dallas Mavericks power forward leapfrogged Hakeem Olajuwon into ninth place on the NBA's all-time scoring list on Tuesday night, the highest among international players. It's an achievement that Nowitzki is proud of having spent his entire NBA career with Dallas after moving to the States from Germany when he was 20 years old. But his next goal is not surpassing Elvin Hayes in eighth place on the all-time scoring list, it's a second NBA title with the Mavericks. 'When you’re still playing it is more about winning and being on a good team,' he said. 'These other milestones are going to be great in 10 or 20 years when I look back at my career and show them to my daughter and maybe my grandkids one day. 'Right now I’m still working on playing at a high level and chasing my dream – which is another championship.' Dirk Nowitzki became the highest scoring international player in NBA history . The 36-year-old German is a 12-time NBA All Star and his individual accolades also include an MVP crown in 2007 and Finals MVP in 2011, the year Dallas beat the Miami Heat to be crowned NBA champions. Despite all he has achieved individually with both the Mavericks and Germany, that solitary NBA title remains Nowitzki's career highlight. It speaks volumes for a man who has become the ultimate team player and a legend in Dallas. 'I play in a team sport and winning a championship is the ultimate,' Nowitzki said. 'I worked so hard and in 2011 everything came together. We achieved our goal. 'I never wanted to see myself as a big-time scorer who shoots every ball. I want to be efficient and wanted to come through for my team when counted on. Hopefully I can still do that over the next couple years and play at a high level with a good team. The Dallas Mavericks forward moved above Hakeem Olajuwon into ninth place in the all-time scoring list . Nowitzki has spent his entire NBA career with Dallas and won the NBA title in 2011 . 1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387 . 2. Karl Malone 36,928 . 3. Michael Jordan 32,292 . 4. Kobe Bryant 31,887* . 5. Wilt Chamberlain 31,419 . 6. Shaquille O'Neal 28,596 . 7. Moses Malone 27,409 . 8. Elvin Hayes 27,313 . 9. Dirk Nowitzki 26,953* . 10. Hakeem Olajuwon 26,946 . *still active, as of Tuesday 11 November . 'The last couple of years after winning the championship have been tough. We didn’t even make the play-offs one year. That was one of the reasons why I took a huge pay cut this summer, so we can get a good team in here.' Nowitzki continued: 'I came here a long time ago not knowing what to expect when I was 20 years old and Dallas embraced me. The people here were always kind and supported me and it felt like a second home. 'I missed Germany a lot in the beginning, but I found a new home here and it would not have felt right to go and play somewhere else and put on a different uniform. I always wanted to be in Dallas. It has been a great ride and I wouldn’t have wanted to do it anywhere else but here. 'I lived with my parents for 20 years and when I came over I had a tough time adjusting and living by myself. It was a tough time but I had to get through it somehow. I just kept working to try and get better and learned some stuff from the older players. Mavericks fans celebrate Nowitzki's achievement against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday . 'But if someone would have told me 17 years ago that I would pass Hakeem Olajuwon, I would have said “you’re absolutely crazy”. It has been a fun ride with some great people and great supporters and the fans have been great for me all over the world.' Nowitzki hit a jumper from just inside the three-point line early in the fourth quarter of Dallas' 106-98 win over Sacremento on Tuesday to pass Olajuwon, and he finished the night at 26,953 career points - seven more than the Nigerian. 'I was kind of was aware that I wasn’t too far away,' Nowitzki said. 'But once the game was going on I was solely focussing on the next shot and trying to help the team win. It wasn‘t really in my mind during the game but I was definitely aware of it before. 'When I made the big shot I saw the crowd give me a standing ovation and then realised that was it. It was a very special moment to do it at home in front of the fans who have supported me in my 17 years here. 'They gave me a standing ovation and at the next timeout they showed a video in the big screen in honour of me. I had goose bumps.' Fans can watch NBA games on BT Sport and via NBA LEAGUE PASS, the NBA’s live and on-demand subscription service .
Dirk Nowitzki became highest scoring foreign player in NBA history .
Dallas Mavericks power forward moved above Hakeem Olajuwon into ninth on all-time scoring list .
Nowitzki focussed on more team glory rather than personal milestones .
German has won one NBA championship with Dallas in 2011 .
Having just become the highest scoring foreign born player in NBA history, Dirk Nowitzki would be forgiven for looking ahead to his next personal milestone. The Dallas Mavericks power forward leapfrogged Hakeem Olajuwon into ninth place on the NBA's all-time scoring list on Tuesday night, the highest among international players. It's an achievement that Nowitzki is proud of having spent his entire NBA career with Dallas after moving to the States from Germany when he was 20 years old. But his next goal is not surpassing Elvin Hayes in eighth place on the all-time scoring list, it's a second NBA title with the Mavericks. 'When you’re still playing it is more about winning and being on a good team,' he said. 'These other milestones are going to be great in 10 or 20 years when I look back at my career and show them to my daughter and maybe my grandkids one day. 'Right now I’m still working on playing at a high level and chasing my dream – which is another championship.' Dirk Nowitzki became the highest scoring international player in NBA history . The 36-year-old German is a 12-time NBA All Star and his individual accolades also include an MVP crown in 2007 and Finals MVP in 2011, the year Dallas beat the Miami Heat to be crowned NBA champions. Despite all he has achieved individually with both the Mavericks and Germany, that solitary NBA title remains Nowitzki's career highlight. It speaks volumes for a man who has become the ultimate team player and a legend in Dallas. 'I play in a team sport and winning a championship is the ultimate,' Nowitzki said. 'I worked so hard and in 2011 everything came together. We achieved our goal. 'I never wanted to see myself as a big-time scorer who shoots every ball. I want to be efficient and wanted to come through for my team when counted on. Hopefully I can still do that over the next couple years and play at a high level with a good team. The Dallas Mavericks forward moved above Hakeem Olajuwon into ninth place in the all-time scoring list . Nowitzki has spent his entire NBA career with Dallas and won the NBA title in 2011 . 1. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38,387 . 2. Karl Malone 36,928 . 3. Michael Jordan 32,292 . 4. Kobe Bryant 31,887* . 5. Wilt Chamberlain 31,419 . 6. Shaquille O'Neal 28,596 . 7. Moses Malone 27,409 . 8. Elvin Hayes 27,313 . 9. Dirk Nowitzki 26,953* . 10. Hakeem Olajuwon 26,946 . *still active, as of Tuesday 11 November . 'The last couple of years after winning the championship have been tough. We didn’t even make the play-offs one year. That was one of the reasons why I took a huge pay cut this summer, so we can get a good team in here.' Nowitzki continued: 'I came here a long time ago not knowing what to expect when I was 20 years old and Dallas embraced me. The people here were always kind and supported me and it felt like a second home. 'I missed Germany a lot in the beginning, but I found a new home here and it would not have felt right to go and play somewhere else and put on a different uniform. I always wanted to be in Dallas. It has been a great ride and I wouldn’t have wanted to do it anywhere else but here. 'I lived with my parents for 20 years and when I came over I had a tough time adjusting and living by myself. It was a tough time but I had to get through it somehow. I just kept working to try and get better and learned some stuff from the older players. Mavericks fans celebrate Nowitzki's achievement against the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday . 'But if someone would have told me 17 years ago that I would pass Hakeem Olajuwon, I would have said “you’re absolutely crazy”. It has been a fun ride with some great people and great supporters and the fans have been great for me all over the world.' Nowitzki hit a jumper from just inside the three-point line early in the fourth quarter of Dallas' 106-98 win over Sacremento on Tuesday to pass Olajuwon, and he finished the night at 26,953 career points - seven more than the Nigerian. 'I was kind of was aware that I wasn’t too far away,' Nowitzki said. 'But once the game was going on I was solely focussing on the next shot and trying to help the team win. It wasn‘t really in my mind during the game but I was definitely aware of it before. 'When I made the big shot I saw the crowd give me a standing ovation and then realised that was it. It was a very special moment to do it at home in front of the fans who have supported me in my 17 years here. 'They gave me a standing ovation and at the next timeout they showed a video in the big screen in honour of me. I had goose bumps.' Fans can watch NBA games on BT Sport and via NBA LEAGUE PASS, the NBA’s live and on-demand subscription service .
Having just become the highest scoring foreign born player in NBA history, Dirk Nowitzki would personal milestone. The Dallas Mavericks power forward moved above Hakeem Olajuwon into ninth place in the all-time scoring list . Nowitzki has