The NBA said on Monday that Dikembe Mutombo, a great shot blocker, humanitarian, and Hall of Famer, had passed away at the age of 58. He was diagnosed with brain cancer in October 2022, which is the cause of death. When Mutombo died away, his family was there to greet him.
Mutombo, initially from Democratic Republic of the Congo, became one of the best defensive players of all time over his 18-year career. Although he played for six clubs in all, the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, and Houston Rockets were his main teams. (He played with the Philadelphia 76ers for more than a season, and the New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks for one season apiece.) He won four times as Defensive Player of the Year and eight times as an All-Star. In 1994, 1995, and 1996, he led the NBA in blocks, and in 2000 and 2001, he led the league in rebounds. His number has been retired by the Hawks and Nuggets, and in 2015, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
He was born Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacque Wamutombo in 1966. Prior to being recruited to play basketball by renowned coach John Thompson, he had intended to attend Georgetown University to pursue a career in medicine. In 1991, he graduated with degrees in both languages and diplomacy, but it was obvious that basketball, not diplomacy, was his destiny when the Nuggets selected him with the fourth overall choice.
Following Mutombo’s retirement from the NBA in 2009, he focused on philanthropy and humanitarianism, seeking to give back to his home nation and the entire continent of Africa. Twelve years before he retired, in 1997, he established the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to ameliorate living circumstances in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was recognized with multiple accolades from the NBA and other associations for his efforts to improve living conditions and curb the spread of polio in Africa.
Just a little tale.
Dikembe’s mother passed away in the Congo during a war since there was no ambulance available to take her to a hospital in time. Furthermore, given the weather, she might have been detained. How did Dikembe react to such catastrophe? He constructed a hospital in his birthplace.
Commissioner Adam Silver issued a statement after his friend’s passing.
Mutombo was the first NBA Global Ambassador.
“Dikembe Mutombo was one of the best defensive and shot-blocking players in NBA history. He was just bigger than life on the court.” He gave his all to helping people right off the floor.
“Dikembe was the most suitable person to be the NBA’s first international ambassador. At his core, he was a humanitarian. He was enthralled by the beneficial effects basketball might have on communities, particularly in his home country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and throughout Africa. I had the honor of traversing the globe with Dikembe and witnessing directly how people were inspired by his kindness and generosity. With his contagious smile, rich, loud voice, and distinctive finger wag, he won over basketball enthusiasts of all ages at NBA events over the years.
“Those that Dipembe aided and inspired during his exceptional life bear witness to his unwavering spirit. Dikembe’s large heart affected the lives of many people, including me, and I will miss him terribly. I offer my sincere sympathies, on behalf of the whole NBA family, to Dikembe’s wife, Rose, and their children; to his numerous friends; and to the world of basketball, which he genuinely loved and which returned the favor.”
In addition to Rose’s three children, Mutombo is also survived by the four children of Rose’s deceased brothers, whom they adopted in 1996.
