After seeing u/vynn11 and u/MattMagd share their incredible cases of Dirk cards I wanted to share my humble shelf. I like to shuffle cards in and out of the shelf once in a while but I really like this set of cards as they all come together to tell a story.
– 2016-17 Donruss Optic The Champ is Here Blue #9 (19/49)
> Unfortunately I could not find the original photo used for this one and there isn’t much to be said here that I haven’t already said about the previous card, but **The Champ is Here!**
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After seeing u/vynn11 and u/MattMagd share their incredible cases of Dirk cards I wanted to share my humble shelf. I like to shuffle cards in and out of the shelf once in a while but I really like this set of cards as they all come together to tell a story.
Left to right:
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– 2015-16 Panini Select Courtside Silver Prizm #283
> This is a photo of Dirk in his very [first NBA game](https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199902050SEA.html). The game was played in Seattle’s Key Arena against German big man Detlef Schrempf. The [original uncut photo](https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/dirk-nowitki-of-the-dallas-mavericks-shoots-against-detlef-news-photo/616055496) shows Dirk being guarded by Detlef.
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– 2005-06 Topps Finest Refractor #28 (271/349)
> This is a photo taken from the first Mavs game I attended. The game is best known as Kobe’s 62 point game. Kobe outscored the Mavs 62-61 in three quarters but I was still so grateful to see Dirk and the Mavs in person. In the [original photo](https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/dirk-nowitzki-of-the-dallas-mavericks-shoots-against-brian-news-photo/56628726) you can see Dirk fading away over Brian Cook.
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– 2022-23 Panini Photogenic Maze #87 (12/25)
> The reflective pattern on the card makes it a bit difficult to appreciate Dirk’s jumper just inside the free-throw line as Jason Terry and LeBron watch. [This photo](https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/dirk-nowitzki-of-the-dallas-mavericks-shoots-against-the-news-photo/115954000) was taken in Game 6 of the 2011 Finals.
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– 2016-17 Panini Select Courtside Silver Prizm #291
> I love Dirk’s expression in this one. Dirk is obviously focused somewhere other than the camera. In [this photo](https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/dirk-nowitzki-of-the-dallas-mavericks-poses-with-the-nba-news-photo/115954641) Dirk’s expression reminds me of all of the emotions I felt the night we won it all. There is pure joy, relief, exhaustion all in one moment.
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– 2016-17 Donruss Optic The Champ is Here Blue #9 (19/49)
> Unfortunately I could not find the original photo used for this one and there isn’t much to be said here that I haven’t already said about the previous card, but **The Champ is Here!**
– – – – –
– 2020-21 Panini Instant #192 (PR 343)
> I wrote about this card at length [here](https://www.reddit.com/r/basketballcards/comments/126uqce/my_favorite_card/). Much like the second card on the shelf I have a personal attachment to the photo behind this card. This a photo taken at the first Mavs playoffs game I’ve attended. [The photo](https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/luka-doncic-of-the-dallas-mavericks-poses-with-dallas-news-photo/1233110583) shows Dirk and Luka posing together after a Mavs win in Los Angeles.
– – – – –
– The flier in the back came with a [Dirk branded knee brace](https://www.bauerfeind.com/b2c/Sports-Products/Sports-Knee-Support-Dirk-Nowitzki/p/YPBF_SPK_SKNEES_DN) that helps me get around. I’m honored and humbled to finally have something in common with Dirk even if it is needing a bit more support to do things we might’ve taken for granted when we were younger.