"NBA Legend Dikembe Mutombo Passes Away at 58 After Battle with Brain Cancer"

Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, renowned for his shot-blocking skills and iconic finger wave, has died at the age of 58 from brain cancer, the NBA announced. Inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015, Mutombo was an eight-time NBA All-Star and won the Defensive Player of the Year award four times during his impressive 18-year career.

The 7-foot-2-inch center, born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, initially came to the U.S. on an academic scholarship to Georgetown University in 1987. He gained fame as a basketball player during his second year and was selected fourth overall in the 1991 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. Throughout his career, he also played for the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, and Houston Rockets.

Beyond his on-court achievements, Mutombo was deeply committed to humanitarian efforts. He founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997 to improve education and quality of life in his native DRC. In 2022, the NBA reported that he was receiving treatment for a brain tumor in Atlanta.

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver paid tribute to Mutombo, describing him as “larger than life” and one of the greatest shot blockers in the league’s history. He praised Mutombo’s humanitarian efforts, noting his impact in communities across Africa and his role as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador.

Sixers general manager Daryl Morey and 76ers star Joel Embiid also spoke highly of Mutombo, emphasizing his character off the court and the positive influence he had on many, especially in the African community.