NBA Legend and Humanitarian Dikembe Mutombo Dies at 58 After Battle with Brain Cancer
Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador, passed away on Monday due to brain cancer at age 58, the league announced.
Two years ago, his family shared that Mutombo was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor in Atlanta. According to the NBA, he passed away surrounded by loved ones.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver expressed, “Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life. On the court, he was one of the best-shot blockers and defensive players in NBA history. Off the court, he devoted his heart and soul to helping others.”
Mutombo was memorable in numerous ways — his playful finger wag after blocking shots, towering height, gravelly voice, and signature smile. Players admired him, including Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid, born in Cameroon, who saw Mutombo as a role model.
“It’s a sad day, particularly for us Africans and the world as a whole,” said Embiid. “Besides his incredible achievements on the court, he was even greater off it. He’s someone I looked up to for the impact he made, both on and off the court. He accomplished a lot for many people, and his loss is truly significant.”
The President of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Felix Tshisekedi, also conveyed his condolences to Mutombo’s family, fans, and the people of DRC, referring to him as “a giant, an incredible person.”
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Mutombo enjoyed an 18-season NBA career, playing for Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, New York, and the New Jersey Nets. Standing 7-foot-2 and hailing from Georgetown, Mutombo was an eight-time All-Star and three-time All-NBA selection, earning a Hall of Fame induction in 2015 with career averages of 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.
Toronto President Masai Ujiri said, “It’s truly hard to believe. It’s difficult to imagine life without Dikembe. He meant so much to me and so many of us. He was truly a giant and an incredible human being.”
After retiring in the 2008-09 season, Mutombo focused on charitable and humanitarian endeavors. He spoke nine languages and founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, aimed at improving health, education, and quality of life in the Congo.
Mutombo served on the boards of organizations like Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation, and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.
NBA Commissioner Silver noted, “Dikembe was uniquely qualified to serve as the league’s first Global Ambassador. He was a true humanitarian who loved how basketball could positively impact communities, especially in the Congo and across Africa.”
Mutombo remains one of only three players to win the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year award four times, alongside Rudy Gobert of the Timberwolves and Hall of Famer Ben Wallace.
Philadelphia 76ers President Daryl Morey, who worked with Mutombo in Houston, received the news during the team’s media day. With tears in his eyes, Morey reflected, “There aren’t many like Dikembe. He was an amazing person, on and off the court. When I started as a GM in Houston, he was my go-to for guidance. Rest in peace, Dikembe.”
NBA Legend and Humanitarian Dikembe Mutombo Dies at 58 After Battle with Brain Cancer
