NBA Legend Mutombo Dies at 58

NBA Global Ambassador and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo passed away today at the age of 58 from brain cancer. Standing 7ft 2in (2.18m) tall, DR Congo-born center Mutombo was discovered while studying at Georgetown University and was selected by the Nuggets with the fourth overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft. The eight-time NBA All-Star, who retired in 2009, spent 18 years playing in the league for the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, and Houston Rockets. Mutombo began treatment for a brain tumor in October 2022. "Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life," said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. "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." He twice reached the NBA Finals, first for the 76ers in 2001 and then the Nets (now Brooklyn Nets) two years later. Known for his defensive game, he led the NBA in blocked shots for five consecutive seasons and blocks per game for a record three consecutive seasons. Following his retirement, both the Hawks and Nuggets retired his number 55 shirt, and in 2015, he was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame. Mutombo was a global ambassador for the NBA and carried out humanitarian work in his home country. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said Mutombo 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.