Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, whose towering presence dominated basketball on and off the court, has died from brain cancer at the age of 58.
“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement on Monday. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”
Helped by his 7ft 2in frame, Mutombo ended his career second on the NBA’s all-time list for blocked shots. He was also an eight-time All-Star and four-time defensive player of the year in an 18-season NBA career that lasted from 1991 to 2009. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015, and his number was retired by two of his teams, the Atlanta Hawks and the Denver Nuggets. He also played for the Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks and the then-New Jersey Nets.
Mutombo was also known for his humanitarian work, particularly with the Special Olympics and in his birthplace of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where his Dikembe Mutombo Foundation focused improving health and quality of life in the country.
“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans … and really the whole world because, other than what he’s accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court,” Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid said on Monday. “He’s done a lot of great things. He did a lot of great things for a lot of people, so he was a role model of mine.”
Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey, who worked with Dikembe during their time together with the Houston Rockets, was tearful as he spoke about his friend on Monday.
“There aren’t many guys like him,” Morey said. “Just a great human being. When I was a rookie GM in this league, my first chance in Houston, he was someone I went to all the time. … His accomplishments on the court, we don’t need to talk about too much. Just an amazing human being, what he did off the court for Africa. Rest in peace, Dikembe.”
Mutombo, who was also a naturalized US citizen, served on a number of boards, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the US Fund for Unicef, where he was able to make use of the nine languages he spoke.
“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador. He was a humanitarian at his core,” said Silver. “He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa. I had the privilege of traveling the world with Dikembe and seeing first-hand how his generosity and compassion uplifted people. He was always accessible at NBA events over the years – with his infectious smile, deep booming voice and signature finger wag that endeared him to basketball fans of every generation.”
Mutombo was also known for his playful finger wag, which he would often use after a blocked shot.
“Any time I would block shots, people would still be coming and trying to put a little bit on me. Then I used to shake my head every time I would block the shot,” Mutombo once explained. “Then I said, man fuck this. Those guys are not listening to me. Maybe if I start giving them the finger wag. And I tell you what, I lost a lot of money because of that finger wag, man. I got so many technical fouls, but no referee would kick me out of the game.”
Mutombo’s family first revealed he was undergoing treatment for brain cancer two years ago. He had three children with his wife, Rose, and the couple adopted another four children. His son Ryan, who is also 7ft 2in, currently plays college basketball at Georgia Tech after three seasons at Georgetown, his father’s alma mater. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.
“My dad is my hero because he simply cared,” Ryan Mutombo wrote on social media on Monday. “He remains the purest heart I have ever known.”
