BEIJING (Olympics) - Dons the German colors, plays in Texas, but wins hearts in Beijing.

That's the situation Dirk Nowitzki faces in China.

The Dallas Mavericks forward arrived in China only to find scores of people awed by his presence.

And a little later he was told he ranks right after Kobe Bryant and China's very own Yao Ming on the popularity charts. A fact that was redeemed when the crowd gave him a rousing reception as he entered the Bird's Nest carrying the German flag during the Parade of Nations at the Opening Ceremony.

"I know people like me here in China," Nowitzki said in response to the overwhelming attention.

"It started when we landed. There was a big scene. It's been great. The Chinese people have been wonderful to me and they are all big basketball fans," he told Kansascity.com.

"Walking in the stadium, with 90,000 people, was definitely a rush like I have never experienced in my life," he said.

He also spoke fondly of his experience at the Athletes Village.

He even went to the extent of shaving the Olympic rings on his head.

"We had so much time in the Olympic village a week before we started so I just came up with that idea and we had four or five or six guys do it," Dirk said. "That's a fun thing."

FIBA