'Bigger than life' Mutombo dies of mind most cancers

Dikembe Mutombo, the Corridor of Fame, finger-wagging heart who spent a lot of post-basketball profession as an envoy for the game, has died of mind most cancers on the age of 58, the NBA introduced Monday.

Mutombo’s household revealed two years in the past that he was present process remedy in Atlanta for a mind tumor. The NBA stated he died surrounded by his household.

“Dikembe Mutombo was merely bigger than life,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver stated in a press release. “On the court docket, he was one of many best shot blockers and defensive gamers within the historical past of the NBA. Off the ground, he poured his coronary heart and soul into serving to others.

“There was no one extra certified than Dikembe to function the NBA’s first World Ambassador. He was a humanitarian at his core. He beloved what the sport of basketball might do to make a constructive affect on communities, particularly in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and throughout the continent of Africa. I had the privilege of touring the world with Dikembe and seeing first-hand how his generosity and compassion uplifted folks. He was all the time accessible at NBA occasions over time — along with his infectious smile, deep booming voice and signature finger wag that endeared him to basketball followers of each technology.”

The 7-foot-2 Mutombo performed 18 NBA seasons for the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, the then-New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets earlier than retiring after the 2008-09 season.

The Georgetown product was the league’s high defensive participant 4 instances, earned three All-NBA picks and performed in eight All-Star Video games. He ranks twentieth in rebounds (12,359) and completed with 3,289 profession blocks, second to Hakeem Olajuwon (3,830).

He was inducted into the Professional Basketball Corridor of Fame in 2015 after averaging 9.8 factors and 10.3 rebounds per recreation for his profession.

“It is a unhappy day, particularly for us Africans … and actually the entire world as a result of, apart from what he is achieved on the basketball court docket, I feel he was even higher off the court docket,” Philadelphia 76ers heart Joel Embiid stated Monday. “… He is carried out a whole lot of nice issues. He did a whole lot of nice issues for lots of people, so he was a task mannequin of mine.”

Mutombo adopted most blocks with a playful wag of his proper index finger, a gesture that turned his enduring signature and impressed many others after him.

“Any time I might block photographs, folks would nonetheless be coming and attempting to place just a little bit on me. Then I used to shake my head each time I might block the shot,” Mutombo as soon as defined. “Then I stated, man f— this. These guys aren’t listening to me. Possibly if I begin giving them the finger wag. And I inform you what, I misplaced some huge cash due to that finger wag, man. I received so many technical fouls, however no referee would kick me out of the sport.”

Following his enjoying profession, he labored extensively for charitable and humanitarian causes. He served as an envoy for the game, notably within the improvement of the Basketball Africa League, which accomplished its second season in 2022.

Mutombo spoke 9 languages and based the Dikembe Mutombo Basis in 1997, concentrating on enhancing well being, schooling and high quality of life for the folks in Congo. His basis led the constructing of a 170-bed hospital in Kinshasa, the capital metropolis, and that facility has handled almost a half-million folks no matter their potential to pay for care.

He additionally had served on the boards of many organizations, together with Particular Olympics Worldwide, the CDC Basis and the Nationwide Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

“Dikembe’s indomitable spirit continues on in those that he helped and impressed all through his extraordinary life,” Silver stated in his assertion. “I’m one of many many individuals whose lives have been touched by Dikembe’s huge coronary heart and I’ll miss him dearly. On behalf of your entire NBA household, I ship my deepest condolences to Dikembe’s spouse, Rose, and their kids; his many buddies; and the worldwide basketball group which he actually beloved and which beloved him again.”

The Related Press contributed to this report.