NBA star Dirk Nowitzki said he could retire as early as next year, but admitted his dream is to play until 2018 and celebrate 20 years with the Dallas Mavericks.

    Nowitzki has played for the Mavericks since joining from DJK Wurzburg in 1998.

    The German was the NBA finals’ MVP during the team’s 2011 championship year and is a 13-time NBA All-Star, but at 38-year-old is coming to the end of his career.

    “If things don’t go so well and it hurts everywhere, it could be that 2017 will be the end,” the forward told German magazine Sport Bild on Wednesday.

    “But just because I have signed a two-year contract doesn’t automatically mean that I will play for two years. It could happen next year.”

    Nowitzki, who is currently struggling with a persistent Achilles tendon problem, has not played since Nov. 25.

    (SD-Agencies)