Muhammad Ali’s Gift to Dirk Nowitzki

I found this on Yahoo.com last night and had to share it.  NBA Finals MVP, Dirk Nowitzki, received tons of phone calls and letters of congratulations from other athletes, celebrities, and even the German Chancellor. Which one meant the most to him? A gift he received from Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali. More after the jump.

After Dallas' win in the NBA Finals, Ali sent Nowitzki a boxing glove with an inscription that read "You are the greatest."  He tells Germany's most famous weekly magazine, Spiegel, all about it in a recent interview:

SPIEGEL: Did any German politicians call to congratulate you?

Nowitzki: I think that (German Chancellor) Angela Merkel called my adviser. I'm not totally sure. But do you know what made me the happiest?

SPIEGEL: What?

Nowitzki: Muhammad Ali sent me a package.

SPIEGEL: What was in it?

Nowitzki: A boxing glove with the inscription: "You are the greatest." Please don't ask me immediately about the political meaning of the gift. I was simply happy and sent Ali a golden basketball with a similar inscription.

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