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Dikembe Mutombo, NBA Hall of Famer and humanitarian, dies at 58

Former NBA star known for charity work in US and Africa was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2022

Dikembe Mutombo of the Atlanta Hawks in action against Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls during game four of their NBA Eastern Conference semi-final game at the Omni Coliseum in Atlanta in 1997. Photograph: Jeff Haynes/AFP via Getty Images
Dikembe Mutombo of the Atlanta Hawks in action against Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls during game four of their NBA Eastern Conference semi-final game at the Omni Coliseum in Atlanta in 1997. Photograph: Jeff Haynes/AFP via Getty Images
Tom Lutz
Mon Sept 30 2024 - 16:47

Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, whose towering presence dominated basketball on and off the court, has died from brain cancer at the age of 58.

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement on Monday. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”

Helped by his 7ft 2in frame, Mutombo ended his career second on the NBA’s all-time list for blocked shots. He was also an eight-time All-Star and four-time defensive player of the year in an 18-season NBA career that lasted from 1991 to 2009.

He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015, and his number was retired by two of his teams, the Atlanta Hawks and the Denver Nuggets. He also played for the Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks and the then-New Jersey Nets.

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Mutombo was also known for his humanitarian work, particularly with the Special Olympics and in his birthplace of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where his Dikembe Mutombo Foundation focused improving health and quality of life in the country.

Dikembe Mutombo is seen on the red carpet during the 2022 Basketball Hall of Fame awards in Springfield, Massachusetts. The 58-year-old former NBA star has died from brain cancer, aged 58. Photograph: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Dikembe Mutombo is seen on the red carpet during the 2022 Basketball Hall of Fame awards in Springfield, Massachusetts. The 58-year-old former NBA star has died from brain cancer, aged 58. Photograph: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

He served on a number of boards, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the US Fund for Unicef, where he was able to make use of the seven languages he spoke.

“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador. He was a humanitarian at his core,” said Silver. “He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa.

“I had the privilege of travelling the world with Dikembe and seeing first-hand how his generosity and compassion uplifted people. He was always accessible at NBA events over the years – with his infectious smile, deep booming voice and signature finger wag that endeared him to basketball fans of every generation.”

He had three children with his wife, Rose, and the couple adopted another four children. – Guardian