Former Atlanta Hawks star Dikembe Mutombo has died after a battle with aggressive brain cancer. The NBA confirmed his untimely death in a statement on Monday, Sept. 30.
The statement said the NBA legend was surrounded by his family when he passed.
“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 NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”
Mutombo began playing basketball as a lanky boy in the Democratic Republic of Congo before moving to the United States. He played college basketball at Georgetown University.
He was drafted 4th overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 1991 draft. The 7-ft-2 center played with six NBA teams and was an eight-time NBA All-Star. He retired in 2009.
Mutombo invested his money wisely. He opened a popular restaurant and a hair salon with his wife, Rose, in Midtown Atlanta in the 2000s.
The Congolese-American superstar played 18 seasons with the NBA. He was nicknamed “Mount Mutombo” for his defensive prowess on the court. He was known for blocking shots then wagging his 8-inch finger at his opponents.
Mutombo also starred in numerous television commercials. He is considered one of the best shot-blockers and defensive players of all time.
His jersey was retired by both the Denver Nuggets and the Atlanta Hawks. He also played for the 76ers, NY Knicks, NJ Nets, and Houston Rockets. Mutombo was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 11, 2015.
Mutombo met his wife, Rose, during a visit to Kinshasa in 1995. They lived in Atlanta and had three children together. They also adopted four children of Rose’s deceased brothers.
Mutombo’s 7-ft-2 son, Ryan Mutombo, was ranked the 16th-best high school center in the U.S. He has played two seasons for Georgetown.
Watch highlights from Dikembe Mutombo’s NBA career below.
