Dikembe Mutombo, The Restrain Master NBA Legend Dead At 58 Battles Brain Cancer
Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer and humanitarian who played for six teams over 18 seasons in the NBA, died Thursday at age 58 after a two-year battle with brain cancer. The 7-foot-2 center was always a towering presence on the court and proved to be just as big of an influence in charitable work in both the U.S. and his homeland, the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Dikembe Mutombo’s Legendary NBA Career
Dikembe Mutombo 1991 -2009, 18 seasons in the NBA. He was recognized as perhaps the best defensive player of his era. Taken fourth overall in the 1991 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets, it didn’t take Mutombo long to establish himself as a force on defense blocking shots, winning eight All-Star bids and four Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Mutombo would also briefly do stints with the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets. He retired in 2009 with career totals of 11,729 points, 12,359 rebounds and an NBA second-best 3,289 blocks.
A Global Humanitarian
Mutombo was also one of the most community driven athletes off the court, where he spent a considerable amount of time working on humanitarian efforts throughout Africa. He established the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to improve living conditions in his native Democratic Republic of Congo. He started a hospital back at home, treating those who had never seen a doctor. The Hall of Famer was a global ambassador for the NBA and worked with organizations like the Special Olympics and UNICEF.
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Dikembe Mutombo was larger than life, not just on the basketball court but in every sense, Silver said. He gave his heart and soul to better the lives of others. Mutumbo, who was regarded as a role model for fellow players such as Joel Embiid that praised his work in Africa and global influence on people.
The Iconic Finger Wag
Mutombo is remembered as much for his finger-flapping defensive theatrics on the court as he was for the way he would give a block recipient a playful tap after rejecting their shot. It was what became his trademark move and made fans and opponents frown, respectively. I remember one time Mutombo said, “That finger wag cost me a lot of money but no ref would toss me out the game.”
A Basketball Legacy That Never Dies
But Mutombo’s impact truly transcends basketball. He sat on numerous boards, among them the CDC Foundation and the US Fund for UNICEF. His linguistic prowess was applied to exciting and engaging with global communities in seven languages.
Family and Final Moments
Mutombo is survived by his wife, Rose, and their seven children (the latter including four who were adopted). Ryan Taurean, the son of Rick and a three-star college basketball prospect at Georgia Tech. Surrounded by the family that had announced his brain cancer diagnosis two years ago, Mutombo passed away.
Conclusion
The passing of Dikembe Mutombo is a huge loss for the sports world and world in general. His achievements on the court were unrivaled, but it was his work off it that touched millions of lives. RIP Dikembe Mutombo