Dirk Nowitzki will not play for Germany at the EuroBasket, the country's basketball federation has announced.
The NBA star's unavailability was widely expected after last year's Olympics, with Nowitzki indicating that he probably would take a rest after playing for Germany for 11 years.
"No team of the world can compensate the loss of its superstar," said Germany coach Dirk Bauermann.
"Expectations and new goals correspondingly must be defined."
Bauermann has asked fans to get behind the team this summer before they travel to the EuroBasket.
"I would glady appeal to all basketball fans in Germany to support the new, young basketball national team by going to the games," he said.
"The team earned it ."
Source: www.fibaeurope.com
