"I did not know about the A/C button" - Dirk Nowitzki reveals embarrassing moment after Mavericks picked him in 1998 NBA draft

Dirk Nowitzki talked about the time his Mavericks teammates mocked him for not knowing about the air conditioning button in cars as a rookie in an interview on Showtime Basketball's "Headliners with Rachel Nichols."

"Growing up, the car that I had at 18, I didn't have A/C," Nowitzki said. "And you know, Germany doesn't get that hot. So, I did not know about the A/C button."

It's common practice in the NBA for rookies to be jokingly mocked by their teammates as a form of initiation.

From Dirk Nowitzki's comments, he found it interesting how important the A/C was in vehicles as it can get hot in the United States. Compared to the temperature in Germany, the difference has never been more obvious from his point of view.

Former Dallas Mavericks coach reveals organization's strategy in getting Dirk Nowitzki in the 1998 NBA draft

According to NBA's Steve Aschburner, former Dallas Mavericks coach Don Nelson talked about how the organization was able to get Dirk Nowitzki in the 1998 NBA draft.

"We scouted Europe more than anybody," Nelson said. "Donnie got the international team to work out at the YMCA in downtown Dallas. So, for a full week, I'm watching Dirk work out. He was the most unbelievable young player I'd ever seen."

Nelson added that the organization hid Dirk Nowitzki from their competitors in the NBA to not lose the chance of getting him.

"We hid Dirk for several weeks before the draft," Nelson said. "We made a commitment that we were going draft him. We just wanted to keep him from going anywhere else to work out. He was going to be ours. He was happy with that."

Dallas picked Michigan's Robert Traylor with the sixth pick but made a multiteam trade with the Milwaukee Bucks, who took Nowitzki with the No. 9 pick, on draft night. The Mavs also pulled off a trade with the Phoenix Suns to add Steve Nash that night.

In his rookie season, he only played in 47 games due to a shortened NBA season. He averaged 8.2 points per game (40.5% shooting, including 20.6% from 3-point range).

Dirk Nowitzki followed up his rookie season with a much improved sophomore year. He averaged 17.5 ppg (46.1% shooting, including 37.9% from 3-point range) and 6.5 rpg.

The time Dirk Nowitzki was at a crossroads with the Dallas Mavericks

After losing in the 2006 NBA Finals to the Miami Heat, Nowitzki experienced three first-round exits and one second-round exit in the four seasons that followed.

In an interview with Graham Bensinger, Dirk Nowitzki talked about the time he was at a crossroads with the Mavericks organization but ended up resolving the matter.

"I went over to his house, and we just talked about the old times, we talked about the good times, the bad times and it was like just talking to a friend, really not your owner," Nowitzki said. "And we both got emotional, and I think we both agreed that I'm part of this team, I'm part of the organization, I'm part of this franchise and city, so let's do it."

In his career, the Mavericks forward has played all of his 21 NBA seasons in Dallas and is one of the franchise's greatest players.