The NBA is mourning the loss of one of their legends today. Dikembe Mutombo, an NBA Hall of Famer, has officially passed away at the age of 58 due to brain cancer. Mutombo made a name for himself as a member of the Denver Nuggets during the 1990’s. He was an integral part of the Nuggets squad that became the first eight seed in NBA history to defeat a one seed in the first round of the playoffs when they upset the Seattle SuperSonics in 1994. Mutombo had many other great moments throughout his career and continued to be a leading ambassador of the game after his playing career. To say his loss is huge for the NBA would be an understatement.
Dikembe Mutombo Passes Away at Age 58 Due to Brain Cancer
Dikembe Mutombo’s Hall of Fame Career
Mutombo put together a very impressive resume throughout his career. He was an elite shot-blocker and a highly coveted rim-protector. Mutombo’s NBA resume boasts eight All-Star selections, four Defensive Player of the Year awards, three All-NBA Team selections, and six All-Defensive Team selections.
On top of that, he was also the league-leader in blocks three different times to go along with two rebounding titles. As for Mutombo’s career numbers, he averaged 9.8 points, 2.8 blocks, and 7.1 total rebounds per game while shooting 51.8 percent from the field. As if that was not impressive enough, Mutombo also tallied a career defensive rating of 99 and a career block percentage of 6.3 percent. All in all, Dikembe Mutombo made his mark across the NBA and his legacy will live on forever in the NBA landscape.
His Impact on the League
After his playing career, Dikembe Mutombo continued to leave his mark on the league. He was a premier ambassador for the NBA and also served on the board for other organizations. Mutombo served on the board for Special Olympics International and the National Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver, had high praise for the former center.
There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador,” Silver said. “He was a humanitarian at his core.
NBA superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, also weighed in on Mutombo’s impact.
“He was always there to talk to me and advise me on how to approach the season and take care of my body and icing after games and stretching and trying different things like yoga,” Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said.
Considering all of this, the NBA has lost a huge legend that had a positive impact both on and off the court.
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