Malaika Nowitzki, Daughter Of Dirk Nowitzki: Parents & Net Worth

Malaika Nowitzki is the daughter of Dirk Nowitzki, a former German NBA player who is a special adviser for the Dallas Mavericks.

She is the eldest child of Dirk Nowitzki. Her father is of German origin and played professionally for the Dallas Mavericks for 21 years.

Malaika is of mixed heritage of a German father and a Kenyan-Swedish mother.

Her parents faced a lot of backlashes while getting married because of their family background.

Today, we will focus more on Malaika’s life, the only daughter of the star player, and tidbits about her family.

And what better way to start than with some facts, right?

Quick Facts

Brief Introduction

Malaika Nowitzki was born to father, Dirk Nowitzki, and mother, Jessica Olsson.

She has two younger brothers, Max and Maurice Nowitzki.

Malaika was born on July 1, 2013, and is 10 as of 2024, while her brother Max is 10 (born 2014), and Maurice is 8 (born 2016).

Malaika’s father is a former professional basketball player regarded as the most significant power forwards and all-time greatest European player ever to enter the court.

He became the first German men’s player to have his number retired in September 2022 after Mavericks retired his jersey number 41.

Mark Cuban unveiled the design for the statue of Nowitzki that was planned to be installed outside the arena on the same night. The statue was unveiled on Christmas Day of the same year.

He was ranked on the four number by Sportsbrief as one of the top 15 powers forward of all time on March 20.

Malaika’s mother, Jessica Olsson, was born on November 27, 1977, to a mother from Kenya and a father from Sweden.

She formerly worked for the Dallas Art Gallery and is an associate director at the Goss-Michael Foundation.

Jessica has two siblings, Martin Waikwa Olsson and Marcus Munuhe Olsson, who are soccer players.

Age & Body Measurement

Malaika is an American citizen of mixed ethnicity, German and Kenyan.

She was born in July, and her zodiac sign is Cancer. People of this sign are known to be emotional, sympathetic, and hard-working at the same time.

Though we have not seen any of these traits as she has not been exposed much in the media, we are sure Malaika possesses all those.

This star daughter of a former NBA player is beautiful and still growing under her parents’ care.

Dirk Nowitzki Opens Up About His Interracial Marriage

Malaika’s parent’s marriage has to be one of the most talked-about relationships in sports history, stirring specific controversy.

Dirk is the all-time leading scorer of the Mavs, the 2007 NBA MVP, the 2011 NBA Finals MVP, and a two-time FIBA Europe Player of the Year.

Basketball not only imprinted his name in the world but also helped him find the love of his life.

Many might not know this, but the two met at a charity event for the Sports for Education and Economic Development (SEED) Project on a snowy night in February 2010.

During the NBA All-Star weekend in Dallas, the Senegal-based nonprofit used basketball as a platform to engage its youths in academic, athletic, and leadership programs.

Formerly from Nanyuki, Kenya, Jessica, now known as Jessica Nowitzki, is the daughter of a Kenyan mother and Swedish father.

Though Nowitzki came from Wurzburg, Germany, a town lacking black or African residents, racial differences never mattered to the basketball star.

Talking about his initial attraction for Jessica, Dirk said,

“What made her so special? What made me fall in love with her? First of all, she’s got to be attractive. That’s part of it. And I think we just clicked intellectually. She likes art; she likes sports. Her brothers both played soccer; they were professional.”

Despite both having no issue about their races, the media was not. As predicted, it became a huge issue for the public.

Controversy & Backlash From Media

Amidst the chaos in the media, Dirk and Jessica continued dating each other.

A year later, on July 13, 2011, the couple confirmed their relationship and made the first big public appearance at the ESPYS awards.

But what stirred the media was not their appearance, but their kiss after Dirk won the Best Male Athlete and Best NBA Player awards.

Soon Twitter went mayhem with that.

PostGame.com even created a story titled “Dirk Nowitzki’s Kiss Heard Round Twitter.” 

And, of course, it reached Dirk too. In response, Dirk calmly said,

“Honestly, this is the first I see many of these tweets. That was a crazy time for me with the championships and The ESPYS, and I’m glad I got to spend it with Jessica.”

“Nobody actually approached me with it. Everybody that’s met my wife has said she’s great with me. So I haven’t heard any of that to my face. I’m sure some people think of it to themselves. But I’ve never heard of it to my face.”

No matter what the public had to say, Dirk never lost sight of himself and stuck to Jessica, for he loved her dearly.

Dirk & Jessica Tied The Knot A Year Later

In July 2012, a year after the Twitter incident, Dirk and Jessica tied the knot in an intimate ceremony. The marriage occurred in Germany and Kenya, held in traditional services.

In Kenya, they had a Kikuyu wedding.

Then relatives from both sides intermingle as it concludes with a “ruracio,” aka dowry payment discussion.

As per the tradition, the bride wore a traditional Kikuyu garment while the groom wore a dark brown outfit with orange hues. Not to mention, it was a new experience for both of them.

There was no need for Olsson to worry about as Dirk, an open-spirited yet comical German-born, danced to the African music, easing the atmosphere.

“Her mom threw a wedding party, and that’s where some of those photos came from where I had the outfit on with a hat on. It was a special experience. I’ve never, obviously, been a part of anything like that, the dances, the whole experience, the tradition of a wedding down there.”

However, the encounter with a helpless goat did surprise Dirk a lot.

In an old African tradition, goats, honey, cows, etc., are used as payment for a dowry, demonstrating the groom’s status.

“What I’m trying to do now with my kids is raise them with love.” Dirk Nowitzki

Successful Marriage

It has been more than 12 years since their marriage, and the couple is the parents of three adorable children.

Apart from their compulsory education, Dirk also wants his children to know about their heritage from Germany and Kenya.

It is also why the former basketball player takes his children to Kenya occasionally. He thinks family bonding is the best way to learn about culture and heritage.

Also, one thing he wants his teach his children is racial and social justice.

Dirk knows the consequences his boys could face being black in America.

“That’s a little scary to every parent. You’re just trying to educate your kids, so eventually, if they do find themselves in a situation, they can take themselves out of it or make the right decisions, make the right reads…”

Though he loves his kids to boots, Dirk is a tough parent when needed. However, he strays away from using a belt to discipline, the tactic Nowitzki’s father used on him.

Instead, he instills discipline and respect in his kids with love.

“What I’m trying to do now with my kids is raise them with love. So they got to show you authority, got to show some respect. Not anything goes. That’s not how it works around here.”

Malaika Nowitzki and her siblings are growing up under the proper guidance of their parents.

Net Worth & Income

Malaika is still a child and is far from working and earning. As of now, she is studying and learning things as she grows.

But there is no doubt that Nowitzki is living a lavish life thanks to her star father’s success.

Dirk Nowitzki has an estimated net worth of $140 million as of 2024.

The former basketball player played 21 years for Dallas Mavericks, contributing more to his earnings.

Though he ended his career with high net worth, Dirk was known for taking discounted contracts.

He signed a 3-year extension in 2006 for $59 million that would have gotten him $158 million if he had taken a six-year contract two years later in 2008.

Had he not taken the discounted contracts, he would have finished his carer with $446 million in earnings, $194 million more than his actual career earnings of $252 million.

Forbes ranked Dirk in the 56th position of the world’s highest-paid athlete alongside other stars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lebron James, Lionel Messi, and Usain Bolt in 2017.

Real Estate

A genuine and kind-hearted Dirk, a beast on the court, bought a $5.75 million worth mansion in 2019.

The house previously belonged to the late billionaire Charles Wyly.

In 2010, Wyly was targeted by the IRS after hiding around $500 million in offshore, tax-free accounts.

Moreover, the 11,000-square-foot mansion lies in the North Dallas neighborhood of Preston Hollow, also home to other prominent figures like ex-president George W. Bush and Mavericks owner Mark Cuban.

Dirk Nowitzki Philanthropy

Nowitzki has a golden heart and helps people through his “The Dirk Nowitzki Foundation.”

He is concerned about society, the country, and the world, which can be seen through his Twitter posts.

The world needs more men who can be the voice of the voiceless. His charity aims at fighting poverty in Africa.

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