Eight-time NBA All-Star Dikembe Mutombo, a member of the NBA Hall of Fame, passed away on Monday at the age of 58. The former Denver Nuggets center played 18 seasons in the league, and the NBA announced that Mutombo had died from brain cancer.
Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mutombo moved to the United States in 1987 and played college basketball at Georgetown University. The fourth overall pick by the Denver Nuggets in the 1991 NBA Draft, Mutombo played for six NBA franchises, including the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, and Houston Rockets.
In an official statement, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said, “Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life. 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 added, “There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador. He was a humanitarian at his core.”
The four-time Defensive Player of the Year averaged 9.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks in his NBA career. In his storied career, Dikembe Mutombo led the league in rebounding twice in 2000 and 2001 and thrice in blocking from 1994 to 1996.
