Beyond the Baseline Podcast: Dirk Nowitzki

Dallas Mavericks big man Dirk Nowitzki discusses his tennis roots, second annual charity event and more.

On the Beyond the Baseline Podcast, Sports Illustrated executive editor, Tennis Channel commentator and host Jon Wertheim takes fans between the lines with tennis commentary and exclusive interviews with the top players and newsmakers on the ATP and WTA tours.

On this week's episode, Wertheim talks with Dallas Mavericks big man Dirk Nowitzki, who is a future NBA Hall of Famer but also a huge tennis fan who grew up playing the sport in Germany. Back on the podcast for the second year in a row, 39-year-old Nowitzki discusses what his offseason has been like this summer, how it compares to that of a professional tennis player; longevity in sports, particularly in terms of his own career and with players such as Roger Federer and Serena Williams; how he started playing tennis as a child and how often he plays today; what skills translate from basketball to tennis, and vice versa, what he thinks of Germany's Alexander Zverev and more.

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Also on the podcast, Nowitzki discusses his second annual Pro Celebrity Tennis Classic event, held on Saturday, Sept. 16 in Dallas at Southern Methodist University, where Andy Roddick, Tommy Haas, Owen Wilson, Donald Young and Mark Knowles and more will join to raise money for Texas hurricane relief.

Listen below and subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or on Stitcher.

Check back next week for another episode of Beyond the Baseline.