NBA Hall Of Famer Dies At 58

Dikembe Mutombo, the larger-than-life NBA center who spent his later years as an international basketball ambassador, died at 58 last week, ESPN reported.

The news was broken by anchor Stephen A. Smith who discussed Mutombo’s lasting impact on professional basketball. The finger-wagging antagonist died at 58 after a brief battle with brain cancer, according to a statement from the NBA. “Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” league 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.

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“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. 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.”

In retirement, Mutombo, a native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, started his own foundation and served as a UNICEF children’s advocate to help the world’s most vulnerable youth escape the deepest tranches of global poverty. Everything to Mutombo was about giving back, Smith said.

“That’s the Dikembe Mutombo that I knew and loved, that all of us knew and loved. He was one of the best human beings you could ever possibly meet. I had the chance to cover him when he became a Philadelphia 76er… and ended up winning the Eastern Conference crown. Had it not been for Shaquille O’Neal in his prime and Kobe Bryant in his prime, the Philadelphia 76ers and Allan Iverson would have won that championship,” Smith went on. “But Dikembe Mutombo, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year – seven times he finished in the top three for Defensive Player of the Year – no matter what you know about him as a basketball player, he was an even better human being. Always was about giving, about helping… his heart was just huge, it was big. One of the most beautiful, beautiful beings I have ever known.”

Standing 7’2″, Mutombo played an astonishing 18 seasons with the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, the then-New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets before retiring after the 2008-09 season. The Georgetown graduate finished his career 20th all-time in rebounds and only second to Hakeem Olajuwon in career blocks.

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

Mutombo’s habit of wagging his finger after blocking an opponent’s shot will forever be remembered as one of the NBA’s most iconic trash-talking gestures. “Any time I would block shots, people would still be coming and trying to put a little bit on me. Then I used to shake my head every time I would block the shot,” Mutombo once explained about his habit. “Then I said, man f— this. Those guys are not listening to me. Maybe if I start giving them the finger wag. And I tell you what, I lost a lot of money because of that finger wag, man. I got so many technical fouls, but no referee would kick me out of the game.”

After leaving the NBA, Mutombo founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, focusing on health and education improvements in his home country. His fundraising and appeals to the local government and ruling tribes led to the establishment of a 170-bed hospital in the capital city of Kinshasa. He also served on the boards of the Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

“Dikembe’s indomitable spirit continues on in those who he helped and inspired throughout his extraordinary life,” Silver said in his statement. “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.”

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