Dirk Nowitzki’s love for tennis began long before he became a Dallas Mavericks icon. And this September, the Hall of Famer will again return to the court for a cause that has grown into one of the city’s marquee charity events.

The Dirk Nowitzki Foundation will host its seventh annual Tennis Classic on Saturday, Sept. 13, at Banner House at T Bar M in Dallas. The event, which moved indoors last year to avoid Texas’ late-summer heat, will feature celebrity exhibition matches, gourmet food, and plenty of entertainment. All proceeds will benefit local organizations supporting children’s health, education, and well-being.

This year’s lineup includes a high-profile addition: No. 1 overall NBA Draft pick Cooper Flagg, who will make his Dallas debut on a tennis court before suiting up for the Mavericks. He’ll join Nowitzki, NBA Hall of Famer Steve Nash, former Dallas guard Devin Harris, ex-Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah, and actor Boris Kodjoe for an afternoon of lighthearted matches.

“There’s a lot of interaction with all the celebrities,” Nowitzki said in a recent interview with 105.3 The Fan. “Cooper coming out—we’ve never met. So, I’m looking forward to having him. He’s not much of a tennis player, but he wanted to come out and support, and it means a lot to me and the foundation.”

The format is less about competition than it is about community, according to Nowitzki.

“It’s not really about the tennis—this is not a competitive tennis tournament,” he said. “This is about having fun, about interacting, about some trash talking.”

Dirk Nowitzki’s Longtime Passion

Though basketball defined his career, Nowitzki often cites tennis as his first love. Growing up in Germany, he was drawn to the sport during its golden era.

“I was a big Boris Becker guy, Steffi Graf,” Nowitzki said. “Those are some of the guys why I started playing… There was a huge tennis boom in the late 80s, early 90s in Germany because of these two.”

More recently, he followed the dominance of the so-called “Big Three.”

“I was a big Federer guy. He played so clean, was a clean ball striker—he almost made it look effortless,” Nowitzki said. “He’s probably the most skilled, most talented player ever, honestly. I know he didn’t win the most slams, but just the way he hit the ball—I’m not sure we’ll ever see somebody like that again.”

That admiration still fuels his excitement for blending his foundation’s mission with a sport he enjoys playing.

A Growing Tradition

Nowitzki said shifting the event from SMU to T Bar M has helped the Classic continue to grow.

“We moved it from SMU to T-Bar last year and…moved the tournament indoors because September is still pretty steamy out,” Nowitzki said. “So it’s a little different format, but we had a great turnout last year there.”

As the foundation’s largest annual fundraiser, the Tennis Classic channels 100 percent of proceeds to North Texas nonprofits working with children and families in need. Nowitzki emphasized that the mission is at the heart of everything.

“Every dollar that obviously we take in is going right back out to all these great organizations in the Metroplex in North Texas,” he said. “So, come on out. Support. It’s a fun day.”

The event runs from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 13. Tickets include reserved seating, limited-edition merchandise, light bites, and access to on-site experiences.

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