“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.”
Hailing from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mutombo played college basketball at Georgetown and was selected fourth overall in the 1991 NBA Draft by the Nuggets.
He later played for the Hawks, Sixers, Nets, Knicks and Rockets.
One of the iconic moments of his NBA career came in 1994 when the eighth-seeded Nuggets stunned the Western Conference’s top-seeded Supersonics in a first-round playoff series, and Mutombo celebrated jubilantly on the floor while clutching the basketball.
He led the league in blocks per game three times — he would often celebrate his blocks by wagging his finger to say, “nuh uh” — and rebounds per game twice.
Dikembe Mutombo on the Hawks during a playoff series against the Knicks. New York Post
After his playing career, he became an ambassador for the NBA, spreading his love of the game worldwide.
“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,” Silver said.
“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.
Dikembe Mutombo and his wife Rose in 2021. Getty Images for UNICEF USA Dikembe Mutombo with his wife, Rose. Instagram/Dikembe Mutombo
“Dikembe’s indomitable spirit continues on in those who he helped and inspired throughout his extraordinary life. I am one of the many people whose lives were touched by Dikembe’s big heart and I will miss him dearly. On behalf of the entire NBA family, I send my deepest condolences to Dikembe’s wife, Rose, and their children; his many friends; and the global basketball community which he truly loved and which loved him back.”
In addition to his wife, Rose, Mutombo is survived by their three children, plus four adopted children from Rose’s brothers after he passed.
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