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Dallas Mavericks star Dirk Nowitzki told a German publication it won't "be easy to win" his heart in the aftermath of his broken engagement to former fiancée Crista Ann Taylor.
Nowitzki, who is in Germany, spoke openly about his romance with the 37-year-old for the first time to Bild Magazine, which came out on newsstands Tuesday. He covered many aspects of their time together, including how they met and their wedding plans, in a question-and-answer format, The Dallas Morning News reported.
The interview originally was posted on Bild's Web site Monday night.
"In the beginning, I was very down and disappointed, sad and furious," Nowitzki said, according to Bild. "But I made a few steps forward and I think someday I will be over it totally.
"I still want to have a family, but first the wounds must heal. However, I still want to have a few little Dirks running around later. But it won't be easy to win my heart."
Taylor, who is pregnant, was arrested on a probation violation and theft of services warrants at Nowitzki's Dallas home in May. She was indicted in 2006 for not paying a Beaumont dentist for 2004 work worth between $1,500 and $20,000, and she remains in custody in the Jefferson County Jail.
Taylor's trial date has been set for July 27. She also faces a 2000 probation violation charge in Missouri.
Nowitzki, who turned 31 last week, told Bild that the first time he had contact with Taylor was on the phone, when she allegedly punched in the wrong number as she was trying to call her brother.
"We talked, texted and e-mailed a lot over the next three years, but we never met. It was more of an Internet type of flirt," Nowitzki said, according to Bild. "We had daily contact, then none for months. But we were friends for so long, we finally met and the first meeting was good. Then in December, we got engaged, but we didn't have a real date for the wedding. She had further plans and wanted to get married in July."
On June 12, Nowitzki's attorney filed a petition in Dallas County, Texas, requesting that genetic testing be conducted upon the birth of Taylor's child in order to determine paternity. Nowitzki wants sole custody of the child if it's proven he's the father.
In the meantime, FBI agents in Texas have seized recordings of threatening jailhouse phone calls allegedly made by Taylor to Nowitzki's attorney, two sources with knowledge of the investigation told ESPN.
Taylor's prison phone calls allegedly contained threats as well as demands for money from Nowitzki, and many of Taylor's phone calls were made to the offices of Nowitzki's Dallas-based attorney, the sources said.
The eight-time All-Star discounted any long-term impact from the failed romance, saying he can still trust people.
"It's not as though something really bad happened," he said. "I showed bad judgment, and that's that. Life goes on."
Nowitzki, who is in Germany, spoke openly about his romance with the 37-year-old for the first time to Bild Magazine, which came out on newsstands Tuesday. He covered many aspects of their time together, including how they met and their wedding plans, in a question-and-answer format, The Dallas Morning News reported.
The interview originally was posted on Bild's Web site Monday night.
"In the beginning, I was very down and disappointed, sad and furious," Nowitzki said, according to Bild. "But I made a few steps forward and I think someday I will be over it totally.
"I still want to have a family, but first the wounds must heal. However, I still want to have a few little Dirks running around later. But it won't be easy to win my heart."
Taylor, who is pregnant, was arrested on a probation violation and theft of services warrants at Nowitzki's Dallas home in May. She was indicted in 2006 for not paying a Beaumont dentist for 2004 work worth between $1,500 and $20,000, and she remains in custody in the Jefferson County Jail.
Taylor's trial date has been set for July 27. She also faces a 2000 probation violation charge in Missouri.
Nowitzki, who turned 31 last week, told Bild that the first time he had contact with Taylor was on the phone, when she allegedly punched in the wrong number as she was trying to call her brother.
"We talked, texted and e-mailed a lot over the next three years, but we never met. It was more of an Internet type of flirt," Nowitzki said, according to Bild. "We had daily contact, then none for months. But we were friends for so long, we finally met and the first meeting was good. Then in December, we got engaged, but we didn't have a real date for the wedding. She had further plans and wanted to get married in July."
On June 12, Nowitzki's attorney filed a petition in Dallas County, Texas, requesting that genetic testing be conducted upon the birth of Taylor's child in order to determine paternity. Nowitzki wants sole custody of the child if it's proven he's the father.
In the meantime, FBI agents in Texas have seized recordings of threatening jailhouse phone calls allegedly made by Taylor to Nowitzki's attorney, two sources with knowledge of the investigation told ESPN.
Taylor's prison phone calls allegedly contained threats as well as demands for money from Nowitzki, and many of Taylor's phone calls were made to the offices of Nowitzki's Dallas-based attorney, the sources said.
The eight-time All-Star discounted any long-term impact from the failed romance, saying he can still trust people.
"It's not as though something really bad happened," he said. "I showed bad judgment, and that's that. Life goes on."
