Dikembe Mutombo, NBA Hall of Famer and humanitarian, dies at 58 | N.B.A

Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, whose towering presence dominated basketball on and off the court, has died of brain cancer at age 58.

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement Monday. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in NBA history. Even off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”

Thanks to his height of 2.15 meters, Mutombo ended his career in second place on the NBA list of all blocked shots. He was also an eight-time All-Star and four-time Defensive Player of the Year during his 18-year NBA career, which spanned from 1991 to 2009. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015 and his number was retired by two of his teams, the Atlanta Hawks and the Denver Nuggets. He also played for the Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks and the then-New Jersey Nets.

Mutombo was also known for his humanitarian work, particularly with the Special Olympics and in his birthplace, the Democratic Republic of Congo, where his Dikembe Mutombo Foundation focused on improving health and quality of life in the country.

“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans… and actually for the whole world, because aside from what he accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court,” said center Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday. “He did a lot of great things. He did great things for many people and was therefore a role model for me.”

Philadelphia 76ers president Daryl Morey, who worked with Dikembe during his time with the Houston Rockets, cried as he spoke about his friend on Monday.

“There aren’t many people like him,” Morey said. “Just a great person. When I was a rookie GM in this league, my first opportunity in Houston, he was someone I went to all the time. … We don’t need to talk too much about his achievements on the pitch. Just an amazing person, what he has done for Africa off the field. Rest in peace, Dikembe.”

Mutombo, who was also a naturalized U.S. citizen, served on numerous boards, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the US Fund for Unicef, where he was able to utilize the seven languages ​​he spoke.

“No one was more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first global ambassador. He was a humanitarian at his core,” Silver said. “He loved the positive impact the game of basketball could have on communities, particularly in his homeland, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and throughout the African continent. I had the privilege of traveling the world with Dikembe and seeing firsthand how his generosity and compassion empowered people. Over the years, he was always available at NBA events with his infectious smile, deep, booming voice and signature finger wag that endeared him to basketball fans of every generation.”

Mutombo was also known for his playful finger-wagging, which he often used after a blocked shot.

“Every time I blocked shots, people still came and tried to tackle me a little bit. Then I shook my head every time I blocked the shot,” Mutombo once explained. “Then I said, man, fuck it. These guys don’t listen to me. Maybe if I start wagging my finger. And I’ll tell you what, I lost a lot of money because of that finger-wagging, man. I got so many technical fouls, but no referee threw me out of the game.”

Mutombo’s family first announced two years ago that he was undergoing treatment for brain cancer. He had three children with his wife Rose and the couple adopted another four children. His son Ryan, who is also 7 feet 2 inches tall, currently plays college basketball at Georgia Tech after spending three seasons at Georgetown, his father’s alma mater. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.