Dikembe Mutombo, NBA Legend, has died at the age of 58, his death was announced by the NBA, caused by the brain cancer on Monday this week.
It has been a struggling time for Mutombo who was diagnosed with the disease in October this year and the family reports that he passed on in his sleep peacefully surrounded by his family.
Dikembe Mutombo grew up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and made his impact throughout his 18-year playing in NBA. He was considered as one of the most effective cornerbacks.
He was an eight-time All-Star and a four-time winner of the title of the league’s best defender. He played for six different NBA teams. His notability being most with Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, and Houston Rockets.
His efforts for the game were honored when both the Nuggets and the Hawks retired his jersey number. He was added into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
Basketball Hall of Famer and humanitarian Dikembe Mutombo has died from brain cancer at age 58. pic.twitter.com/SoDANXt0JW
— ESPN (@espn) September 30, 2024
Born in 1966 as Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacque Wamutombo, Mutombo began with an interest in becoming a doctor. He started with his education in America, Georgetown University on an academic scholarship, he had intended to study medicine.
Still, he initially turned down the opportunity, but his desire of the legendary basketball coach John Thompson could change his mind.
This set him course to a glorious career in the sport while still acquiring a degree in linguistics and diplomacy by 1991. Georgetown drafted him in the fourth round of NBA draft which assured him of a career in professional basketball.
Mutombo’s rise to basketball fame was somewhat of an untraditional story, he did not start playing the sport until his teen ages though he preferred soccer as his best sport. His height and good physique led him to basketball and he found his niche within a short time.
Over the years, he made it to the list of some of the most monumental center’s NBA has been privileged to contain and most prominently recognized for his talents in shot blocking. By the time he retired he ranked second to Hakeem Olajuwon in blocked shot in NBA history.
Another tradition that Mutombo created on the basketball court was the finger wag that he performed whenever he had a block. This became part and parcel of Mutombo’s inside power and later on applied to marketing of his personality.
Off the basketball court the finger wag became integrated in his persona, he incorporated it in the media, advertising campaigns and any events.
Since leaving basketball in 2009, Mutombo has focused on emending the welfare of poor Africans through welfare outreach and philanthropy chief among them giving better healthcare to the needy populace.
He actually set up the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997 to serve as a resource for bringing about the wanted changes in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
By his work, he brought great impact towards reducing the disease transmission for instance polio and numerous calloused humanitarian work that was even recognized by the NBA.
It was not only confined to basketball, Mutombo got respect from other world apart from being a basketball genius. Health care and infrastructural development were areas in which his foundation worked in his home country.
This affirmed his work philosophy of trying to make a change. Even while he is now quite internationally renowned, his focus stays on the goal which he chose: assisting people, and particularly, the peoples of Africa.
It also continues with his family members. Besides, Mutombo leaves behind his wife, named Rose, three biological children, and four adopted children from Rose’s late brother. His son Ryan has shared a tribute in the Instagram remembering his father and the persons who was around him, feeling the serious loss.
Conclusion
Dikembe Mutombo was a gift to basketball because beyond recording impressive victories on court, he has generously used his success in giving gifts to other people.
Also read: Larry Allen, Legendary Cowboys Offensive Lineman, Passes Away at 52