Hall of Fame basketball player Dikembe Mutombo dies at 58

(Gray News/AP) – Hall of Fame basketball player Dikembe Mutombo has died of brain cancer.

He was 58 years old.

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement published on X. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in NBA history. Off the floor, he also gave his heart and soul to helping others.”

According to the NBA, Mutombo was surrounded by his family when he died.

The NBA announced two years ago that he was being treated for a brain tumor in Atlanta.

One of the best defensive players in NBA history, Mutombo spent 18 seasons with the organization, playing for Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, New York and the then-New Jersey Nets.

The 7-foot-2 center from Georgetown was an eight-time All-Star, four-time Defensive Player of the Year, three-time All-NBA selection and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015 with averages of 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game in his career.

Mutombo last played in the 2008/09 season and dedicated his time to charitable and humanitarian causes after his retirement.

He spoke nine languages ​​and founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, which focuses on improving the health, education and quality of life of the people of Congo.

“No one was more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first global ambassador,” Silver said. “He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved the positive impact the game of basketball can have on communities, particularly in his homeland, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and throughout the African continent.”

Copyright 2024 Gray Local Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.