Dikembe Mutombo: A Legendary Center’s Hall of Fame Career Celebrated

Hall of Famer and basketball legend Dikembe Mutombo passed away on Monday at the age of 58 following a battle with brain cancer.

The DR Congo star was an eight-time NBA All-Star and a four-time Defensive Player of the Year award recipient during his long 18-year career.

Mutombo, who was the fourth overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft, announced his battle with cancer in 2022, having spent his latter years as a global ambassador for the NBA while also being involved in humanitarian works in DR Congo and the African continent at large.

Following the news of his passing, the basketball world reacted to the death of one of the sports’ most cheerful figures, who was widely recognised for his defensive attributes and his finger-wag “no no no” celebration.

“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans, and really the whole world,” Embiid said during Philadelphia 76ers’ media day. “Other than what he’s accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court. He’s one of the guys that I look up to, as far as having an impact, not just on the court, but off the court. He’s done a lot of great things. He did a lot of great things for a lot of people. He was a role model of mine. It is a sad day.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement:

The reactions from around the basketball world poured in as news of Mutombo’s passing spread.

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