Dirk Nowitzki breaks record for points by international player By Dan FeldmanNov 11, 2014, 10:59 PM EST Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Flipboard (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) 26 Comments Your browser does not support iframes.Dirk Nowitzki, one of the NBA’s greatest offensive players and global ambassadors, has cemented his status in the league’s record books.By scoring 17 points against the Kings tonight, the Mavericks star passed Hakeem Olajuwon for most points by an international player: Player Birthplace Points Dirk Nowitzki Germany 26947 Hakeem Olajuwon Nigeria 26946 Tim Duncan U.S. Virgin Islands 24962 Patrick Ewing Jamaica 24815 Rolando Blackman Panama 17623 Steve Nash Canada 17387 Pau Gasol Spain 16723 Tony Parker France 16157 Kiki Vandeweghe Germany 15980 Detlef Schrempf Germany 15761 Fittingly, Nowitzki’s record-breaking points came on a mid-range jumper, his signature shot. Nowitzki uses his 7-foot height to take shots over defenders unlike anyone has before him. It’s a style developed in Europe, where big men were more commonly taught skills outside the paint.As Nowitzki’s style has influenced the NBA, he has helped spread the league’s profile overseas. Germany, thanks to Vandeweghe and Schrempf, already had an NBA presence, but Nowitzki took it to a whole other level.Of course, Nowitzki’s impact is felt here, too. With a championship and increasingly impressive career marks, Nowitzki has a strong résumé when it comes to debating the all-time greats. He now ranks ninth all-time in points: Player Points Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 38387 Karl Malone 36928 Michael Jordan 32292 Kobe Bryant 31859 Wilt Chamberlain 31419 Shaquille O’Neal 28596 Moses Malone 27409 Elvin Hayes 27313 Dirk Nowitzki 26947 Hakeem Olajuwon 26946 If Nowitzki matches his scoring total from last season, he’ll pass Elvin Hayes, Moses Malone and Shaquille O’Neal for sixth all time.Nowitzki is headed to the Hall of Fame. There’s no question about that.But his legacy – both in terms of on-court brilliance and international impact – isn’t yet fully determined. At 36, he’s still excelling, and with his consistent jumper, no end is in sight.