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Dikembe Mutombo
Hall of Fame basketball player Dikembe Mutombo has passed away at the age of 58 following a battle with brain cancer, as verified by HollywoodUnlocked.com. Standing 7-foot-2, Mutombo was a dominant presence in the NBA for 18 seasons, primarily known for his shot-blocking abilities.
Our league
“There’s nobody else in our league who has the intimidating presence he has in the hole,” Golden State Warriors Coach Don Nelson said in 1994. “He’s one of a kind.” Mutombo left a significant legacy both on and off the court, becoming a humanitarian advocate in Central Africa and establishing a hospital in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
House of Mutombo
“I would shake my head and tell the people, ‘Man cannot fly in the house of Mutombo,’” Mutombo said previously. “I felt I was a chief, I was the boss, and nobody could come into the paint” — the area under the basket — “unless they knocked on the door and asked permission to come in.”
Georgetown University
Born on June 25, He came to the U.S. to study at Georgetown University, where he developed his basketball career under coach John Thompson.
Americanized
“I am not trying to become Americanized, because [in] American society when you succeed you succeed for yourself,” Mutombo once said. “But in African society, you succeed for your family. People helped me when I grow up. I cannot stop helping people now.”
Denver Nuggets
Drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 1991, he later played for teams like the Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers, earning numerous accolades, including four NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards and 8 All-Star selections.
Hakeem Olajuwon
Mutombo’s career totals include 3,289 blocked shots, standing second only to Hakeem Olajuwon in NBA history.
Their seven children
Beyond basketball, he was deeply committed to philanthropy, using his platform to support education and health initiatives in his homeland. Mutombo is survived by his wife, Rose, and their seven children.