It is a tragic and somber day not only for the NBA family, but around the world.
The NBA made the heartbreaking announcement on Monday that Hall of Famer, humanitarian, and legendary shot blocker Dikembe Mutombo has died far too soon at the age of 58. The cause of death was brain cancer, which he was diagnosed with nearly two years ago, in October 2022. Mutombo was surrounded by his family and loved ones when he passed.
“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. 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.”
Embed from Getty ImagesMutombo, originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, became one of the most feared, tenacious and best defensive players to ever play the game over his 18-year career. He took the floor and suited up for six teams total, but spent the bulk of his time with the Denver Nuggets, where he was the leader of the first 8th seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in 1994, Atlanta Hawks, and Houston Rockets. He spent one-plus seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers and one season each with the New Jersey Nets and New York Knicks. He was an eight-time All-Star and a four-time Defensive Player of the Year award winner. He paced the NBA in blocks for three-straight seasons, in 1994, 1995, and 1996, and led the league in rebounds in 2000 and 2001. In a sign of respect and admiration, both the Hawks and Nuggets have hung his jersey from the rafters and retired his number, and he was inducted into the Naismith Hall of Fame in 2015.
“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 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.”
Born Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean Jacque Wamutombo in 1966, his goal as a youth was to become a doctor and intended to study medicine at Georgetown before he was recruited to play basketball by legendary coach John Thompson. He earned degrees in linguistics and diplomacy in 1991, but with the Nuggets drafting him with the fourth overall pick, there was no question in anyone’s mind his future was in basketball and not international relations.
There is no way you can discuss or chronicle Mutombo without mentioning his signature finger wag. It was the famous “no, no, no” finger wag that Mutombo would deliver when he would execute a particularly savage block.
The finger wag took on a life of its own, with Mutombo on board it. He broke it out everywhere there was a crowd. He did it in photos, he did it on the red carpet, he did it in commercials. It became part of who he was, and just like life itself, he embraced it.
“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, f— 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.”
Following Mutombo’s retirement from the NBA in 2009, he put all his efforts into philanthropy and humanitarianism, wanting to give back to his native land and the entire continent of Africa. He founded and created the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, 12 years before he would retire, to improve living conditions in the DRC, and received numerous awards from the NBA and other organizations for his work in Africa to improve conditions and reduce the spread of polio.
Mutombo is survived by his wife, Rose, their three children, and four children of Rose’s deceased brothers they adopted in 1996.
