Dirk Nowitzki, the basketball legend and former NBA player who has been inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2023 visited Japan recently. In collaboration with BAUERFEIND and its Japanese distributor, Pacific Supply Co. Ltd. Mr. Nowitzki participated in BAUERFEIND CONGRESS (academic conference) and BAUERFEIND MEDIA CONFERENCE.

The BAUERFEIND CONGRESS was held in the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo. The purpose of the event was to increase the value among the customers by inviting staff from medical institutions, prosthetics device manufacturers, and sports shops that sell BAUERFEIND products in Japan. The first part of the event we discussed in our previous article. This time second and final part will be explained.  

Event Schedule

1. Opening Speech from Mr. Rainer Berthan, CEO of BAUERFEIND AG
2. Opening Speech from Mr. Kei Kawamura, President/CEO of Pacific Supply Co., Ltd.
3. Keynote Speech: BAUERFEIND's sports business and its involvement in the Olympic Games
4. Keynote Speech by Mr. Dirk Nowitzki
5. Q&A Session with Dirk Nowitzki
6. Talk Session with Dirk Nowitzki and Basketball Influencers
7. Workshop by BAUERFEIND

4. Keynote Speech by Dirk Nowitzki

After the media conference at BAUERFEIND FLAGSHIP TOKYO, Mr. Nowitzki moved to the Four Season Hotel Tokyo, where he took the stage. As Mr. Nowitzki explained at the media conference, he started his presentation by talking about his relationship with BAUERFEIND.

The reason why he accepted BAUERFEIND's offer was because he had been using BAUERFEIND's products for a long time and had been helped a lot by BAUERFEIND. He also cited that the philosophy and corporate culture of BAUERFEIND were excellent (although he often received various offers) which was also one of the reasons for his decision to join BAUERFEIND.

5. Q&A Session with Dirk Nowitzki 

Q. How did you feel about being inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame?

A. Many of my friends, including my family and teammates from the NBA, came to the ceremony. I was a little bit nervous as the ceremony approached, but it felt like my life had paid off and I had a dream weekend.

Q. In your 20+ years career in the NBA, how did you maintain your body fitness over a long season of 90+ games per year?

A. In my early years, I didn't have any major physical problems, so I wasn't really sure. However, as my career progressed, I began to understand how to deal with my body. By paying attention to diet, working out, massages, and stretching, I was able to continue my career into my 30s and beyond.

Q. What kind of routine did you have for the three days between games when you were an NBA player?

A. The day before a game, I would do some physical activities such as shooting practice while thinking about what I would do the next day in the game, which is called “activation”. Depending on the day, I would also get a massage or take a sauna. I think it is important not to practice too much, but to prepare the body to produce what it has adjusted to before the season in the real game.

On the day of the event, I would make sure to sweat it out in the morning, would have a good lunch, and take a nap. After that, I would practice shooting after 4:00 p.m. in preparation for the game, which starts at 7:30 p.m., to get our bodies moving again. After the game, I would get a massage, and I tried to recover by eating a good meal.

Q. What was the most difficult injury in your more than 20 year career?

A. Fortunately, I have not had many serious injuries in my long career. I had one knee surgery and two ankle surgeries, but they were endoscopic surgeries. The most painful injury was when my elbow hit my face and I got a tooth in my elbow. After many years of playing, I have found that the best way to deal with minor injuries is to communicate with a therapist or doctor who knows you.

Q. How would you have changed your mindset about your body and career in the event of a pandemic, something that has never happened in your actual career?

A. This is a very difficult question. What I was thinking about during my active career was how I would protect my body when I wouldn't play. I was able to stay active until I was 41 years old by building my body before the season by stretching and using Bauerfeind products to reduce the load on my body.

Q. What sports do you currently play?

A. I have an ankle injury, so I cannot play basketball at the level I used to, but I just enjoy playing tennis and biking.

Q. What do you think about Japan vs. Germany in the Basketball World Cup?

A. I feel about this league that it is a tough league. However, I think the German team is very good this time. Japan is also a good team, but I think Germany will win (laughs).

6. Talk Session with Dirk Nowitzki and Basketball Influencers

Afterward, Mr. Nowitzki held a 1-to-1 session with basketball influencers in Japan who use Bauerfeind products. Each player asked questions and received advice from Mr. Nowitzki.

                             Yosuke Saito, UTSUNOMIYA BREX.EXE  

                             Aoi Ariake, 3x3 BASKETBALL TOKYO BB

                             K-TA/Keita Suzuki, F’SQUAD/TOKYO DIME 

                             Tsuguto Kimura, ZETHREE ISHIKAWA.EXE

                             Yasuo Iizima, UTSUNOMIYA BREX.EXE

                                     Shuji Takei, PRO ATHLETE

7. Workshop by BAUERFEIND

The workshop was held for medical professionals such as doctors and prosthetists, and staff of sports stores. The workshop also provided participants with what BAUERFEIND products would be appropriate for patients to use to help them at each stage from injury to recovery, and also up-to-date information on what Bauerfeind products are appropriate for the sports field and the new product lineup.

Finally, the BAUERFEIND CONGRESS (academic conference) was called it a day with the cordial appreciation from all the participents. The collaborator and organizer of the event, Pacific Supply Company thanked everyone to make the event successful and express hope to organized this type of program in the future also.