Yahoo Sports NBA Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo Dead at 58
Dikembe Mutombo — an NBA Hall of Famer whose pro career began in 1991 with the Denver Nuggets, and who retired in 2009 while with the Houston Rockets — died on Monday after a two-year battle with brain cancer. He was 58.
Mutombo’s 18-year NBA career, playing center, also included stints with the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks; a total of three All-NBA selections; and eight All-Star Game appearances. Mutombo blocked a grand total of 3,289 shots, ranking No. 2 all-time behind Hakeem Olajuwon; in rebounds, he ranks No. 20.
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It was in October 2022 that Mutombo began treatment for a brain tumor.
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“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 history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.
“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador,” the statement continues. “He was a humanitarian at his core. 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.
“Dikembe’s indomitable spirit continues on in those who he helped and inspired throughout his extraordinary life,” Silver says. “I am one of the many people whose lives were touched by Dikembe’s big heart and I will miss him dearly. On behalf of the entire NBA family, I send my deepest condolences to Dikembe’s wife, Rose, and their children; his many friends, and the global basketball community which he truly loved and which loved him hack.”
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