One of the all-time best defensive basketball players, Dikembe Mutombo, was inducted into the Hall of Fame and passed away from brain cancer. His age was fifty-eight.
In a statement announcing Mutombo’s passing, NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated, “Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life.” He was among the best defensive and shot-blocking players in NBA history when it came to the court.”
“Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”
Eight times an NBA All-Star, Mutombo also took home four Defensive Player of the Year titles.
He was a member of the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, and Houston Rockets throughout his NBA career, which spanned from 1991 to 2009.
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After founding his organization in 1997, Mutombo committed his life to serving the Democratic Republic of the Congo, his birthplace. Through the organization, he established a hospital and a school and was the first Global Ambassador for the NBA.
“I had the privilege of traveling the world with Dikembe and seeing first-hand how his generosity and compassion uplifted people,” Silver went on to say. “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.”
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Not just in the realm of athletics, Mutombo was adored because of his trademark “No, no, no” block celebration, which was used in a Geico commercial.
“Dikembe’s indomitable spirit continues on in those who helped and inspired throughout his extraordinary life,” Silver said. “Dikembe’s huge heart touched 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 reciprocated his love.”
He declared in October 2022 that he was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor and that he was “in great spirits” during the entire process.
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