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Dikembe Mutombo, an NBA Hall of Famer known for his shot blocking and defensive skills, has died of brain cancer, the NBA said in a statement Monday. He was 58.
Mutombo, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2022was surrounded by his family, the NBA said.
“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”
Mutombo was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo before moving to the United States and playing college basketball at Georgetown University. He was drafted to the Denver Nuggets as the fourth pick in the 1991 draft. The center played with six NBA teams during his 18-year career and was an eight-time NBA All-Star. He retired in 2009.
In 2015 he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Julio Cortez / AP
As CBS Sports noted, his 3,289 blocks rank second all-time in NBA history, and he was known for his signature finger-wagging celebration. In addition to the Nuggets, he played for the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets.
Mutombo is perhaps best remembered for his dominant defensive performance in the 1994 playoffs, when he helped lead the Nuggets to a huge upset against the Seattle Supersonics – the first number one seed to ever beat a number one seed. Mutombo blocked an NBA-record 31 shots in the series and the Sonics head coach acknowledged that the center had psychologically skewered his team.
“He was in our players’ minds from the very beginning and never left,” Seattle coach George Karl said.
In addition to basketball, Mutombo founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in Congo in 1997. The aim is to improve health, education and quality of life in the African country. He also serves on the boards of Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the US Fund for UNICEF.
Mutombo spent the latter part of his life as an ambassador for the NBA.
“There was no one better qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first global ambassador,” Silver said. “He was a humanitarian at heart. He loved what the game of basketball could do to positively impact communities, especially in his native country, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and across the African continent. I was privileged to travel the world with Dikembe and saw firsthand how his generosity and compassion lifted people’s spirits. He was always accessible at NBA events over the years – with his infectious smile, deep, booming voice and signature finger movement that endeared him. made with basketball fans of every generation.
