It took a few minutes, thanks to the Dallas City Council's brief victory lap. But finally it's official: Dirk Nowitzki, the greatest of all Dallas Mavericks, now has a street named for him in front of the arena where he used to play.

Wednesday afternoon, without a single objection, the council approved renaming a short stretch of Olive Street, between North Field Street and Victory Avenue, to Nowitzki Way. As countless Twitterers noted last spring when this was announced, Dirk Drive would have made far more sense for the rebranded roadway in front of American Airlines Center. Or Nowitzki's Lane. Or something else a little more basketball-flavored.

But as council member Omar Narvaez said Wednesday, the name was No. 41's idea, offered after council member Adam Medrano initially phoned Nowitzki to see if he would even be OK with such an honor. Medrano said the career Maverick agreed to the renaming "in 30 seconds."

"We are indebted to him," said council member Jaime Resendez.

1 / 2Mayor Mike Rawlings and members of Dallas City Council -- including, in the Mavs jersey, Mayor Pro Tem Adam Medrano -- posed for a photo with Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki after he was presented with the key to the city of Dallas on Nov. 21, 2018 at the American Airlines Center.(Ashley Landis / Staff Photographer) 2 / 2Dirk Nowitzki's longtime teammate Jason Terry showed up to Dallas City Council Wednesday to accept the honor on behalf of No. 41.(Staff photographer / Vernon Bryant)

"He is one of the nicest guys you'd ever want to meet, a real humanitarian and a great citizen," said Mayor Eric Johnson. "I am honored my first major street renaming will be for him."

Nowitzki, who co-chaired this year's North Texas Giving Day with wife Jessica, didn't attend Wednesday's meeting — no surprise, as he's a modest man who's probably embarrassed by such things. Perhaps he will be there when they hang the new street sign in coming weeks, or when the statue of him is inevitably unveiled in Victory Plaza.

"I'm so excited for Dirk and Mavs fans," the team's owner, Mark Cuban, said via email. "Now every time we drive on Nowitzki Way we all will get a big smile thinking about all the amazing Dirk memories we have."

In his stead, longtime teammate Jason Terry, a member of the Mavericks' 2011 NBA championship team, came to City Hall.

"This accomplishment, this achievement is tremendous," said Terry, recently named the assistant general manager of the Texas Legends, the Mavs' G-League team. "It's a great way to honor a living legend."

Dirk Nowitzki visited Tatum Teague and her parents, Whitney and Tyler, at Children's Medical Center Dallas in December 2015. Tatum is believed to be the first to refer to Nowitzki as "Uncle Dirk." (Children's Medical Center Dallas)

Used to be the council didn't like renaming streets for the living — or, really, anyone. Even a 2015 proposal to rename 2.8 miles of Hatcher Street in South Dallas for former council member Elsie Faye Heggins was met with some resistance and offers to make it solely an honorary designation. Narvaez made it clear he, too, wasn't usually in favor of such do-overs. Except in this case. Said the West Dallas rep, when Medrano first mentioned it to him during an out-of-town trip, he was "all in."

And, the city's rules say you have to wait at least two years after someone's death to name a street after that person. But there is an out — if three-quarters of the council OKs the application. And, of course, for Nowitzki it was a clean sweep: 15-0 in favor.

The name change, already approved by the City Plan Commission, was sparked by an April 30 memo signed by Medrano, Narvaez and Scott Griggs, who was then running for mayor. The missive cited Nowitzki's pro accomplishments — notably, the Mavs' title and his MVP season in 2011 — and also his "selflessness" for taking a lower salary to "help Dallas sign additional talent over the years."

"I'm excited about this," said Medrano, a longtime season-ticket holder who before the vote noted his estimable, complete collection of Mavericks bobbleheads. "I believe it was the right thing to do."