The Dallas Mavericks announced yesterday that Mavericks have signed forward Dirk Nowitzki to a contract extension. Per team policy, terms of the deal were undisclosed. InsideHoops.com hears it's for three years and almost $60 million, though we haven't confirmed that yet.

“We are glad to keep Dirk in the Mavericks family for many more years,” said owner Mark Cuban. “His contribution to our success on and off the court has been immeasurable.”

Last season, Nowitzki averaged a career-high 26.6 points a game (which ranked seventh in the NBA), and registered 9.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.02 blocks in 38.1 minutes per contest. Nowitzki posted career-highs in field goal percentage (48.0%), 3-point percentage (40.6%) and free throw percentage (90.1%). He finished third in MVP voting and was named to the All-NBA First Team for the second straight season. Over the last six seasons, he joins Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal and Tim Duncan as the only players to be named to an All-NBA Team each year.

Also in 2005-06, he became the third player to average at least 26.0 points while shooting 90.0% or better from the line (Rick Barry and Larry Bird).

Nowitzki has career averages of 22.0 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.01 steals and 1.1 blocks in 36.6 minutes in 603 games over eight seasons. He has appeared in a team-record five straight All-Star Games and is the Mavericks all-time leader in rebounds and is currently third in scoring.

He has also appeared in 76 postseason games and has averages of 25.7 points, 11.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.29 steals and 1.03 blocks in 42.4 minutes. Currently, he is the Mavericks postseason leader in scoring, rebounding and games played.

The Wurzburg, Germany native was selected as the ninth overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft. His draft rights were traded along with the draft rights to Pat Garrity to Dallas for the draft rights of Robert Traylor on June 24, 1998. The Mavericks re-signed him to a six-year deal on October 22, 2001.