Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, who played 18 seasons in the NBA and served as a global ambassador for the league after retiring, has died from brain cancer, the NBA announced Monday.
Mutombo was 58.
‘Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,’ NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement announcing his death. ‘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.’
The 7-2 center was the fourth overall pick in the 1991 NBA draft by the Denver Nuggets. He quickly established himself as a force in the paint, averaging 16.6 points and 12.3 rebounds per game on his way to finishing second in the 1992 rookie of the year voting.
Mutombo played for six different teams during his pro career, earning eight All-Star selections and being named to three all-NBA teams.
However, he was best known as a shot-blocker – leading the league in that category in three consecutive seasons from 1994 to 1996 and being named the NBA’s defensive player of the year four times.
A native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mutombo came to the United States to play college basketball for Georgetown University and legendary coach John Thompson.
He played his first five seasons with the Nuggets before signing with the Atlanta Hawks as a free agent in 1996. He went on to play with the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks before finishing his career with the Houston Rockets.
In a statement, Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler said:
“We are deeply saddened by the news of Dikembe Mutombo’s passing.
“Dikembe was a proud and honorable man, who lived up to the definition of a word that became synonymous with his name – humanitarian. He used his many gifts and his platform to improve the lives of everyone he encountered, especially in his homeland of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and throughout Africa.
“His passion for the game, its growth and the joy he brought to defense – including his undeniable presence and iconic ‘finger wag’ – made him a star on the court and with the fans around the globe.
“I was fortunate to have been able to call him a friend. My family and I were beyond proud to have him represent the Hawks organization on and off the court. With his jersey in the rafters, his life and legacy will always be remembered in Atlanta.
“On behalf of the entire Hawks organization, our thoughts, prayers and support are with Rose and their family at this difficult time.”
Mutombo retired at the end of the 2008-09 season, finishing his career with 11,729 points (9.8 per game) and 12,359 rebounds (10.3 per game).
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
After his playing career ended, Mutombo was named by the NBA to be its first Global Ambassador. In that role, he worked extensively to grow the game internationally, especially in African nations.
‘He was a humanitarian at his core,’ Silver said. ‘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.’
In addition to his compassionate side, Mutombo also had a distinctive sense of humor – both on and off the court. His signature finger wag was incorporated into an iconic commercial for GEICO insurance in which he used his shot-blocking talents in everyday life.
In 2022, Mutombo revealed that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor.
(This story was updated to include additional information.)
