Dikembe Mutombo, a basketball Hall-of-Famer and 18-year NBA veteran, died at 58 years old from brain cancer, ESPN insider Shams Charania tweeted Monday morning.
Mutombo was an NBA icon, collecting 10 All-Star appearances and four Defensive Player of the Year awards across stints with the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Atlanta Hawks and Philadelphia 76ers.
Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo has passed away at 58 years old due to brain cancer. pic.twitter.com/taDWSFeCQE
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) September 30, 2024
The seven-foot, two-inch tall Congolese center made a name for himself both on and off the court. Famed for his shot blocking ability — he’s second all time in blocks with 3,289 — his finger wagging “no, no, no” gesture that followed his blocks became just as iconic as his game.
His celebration lived on long after his career, as he replicated it for numerous high-profile commercials, including a famous 2013 Geico ad.
After retiring, Mutombo, who was born and raised in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, dedicated his career to humanitarian work. He earned numerous honors and awards for his charity work and the United Nations named him the organization’s first youth emissary.
In 2009, then-NBA Commissioner David Stern also named him the first NBA Global Ambassador, according to his Georgetown University alumni page.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver appeared to confirm Mutombo’s passing with a statement.
“Dikembe’s indomitable spirit continues on in those who he helped and inspired throughout his extraordinary life. I am one of the many people whose lives were touched by Dikembe’s big heart and I will miss him dearly. On behalf of the entire NBA family, I send my deepest condolences to Dikembe’s wife, Rose, and their children; his many friends; and the global basketball community which he truly loved and which loved him back,” Silver wrote in a statement posted to the NBA Communications Twitter account.
NBA Global Ambassador and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo passed away today at the age of 58 from brain cancer. He was surrounded by his family.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement. pic.twitter.com/fkFPaiMVD3
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) September 30, 2024
Mutombo had been undergoing treatment for a brain tumor since 2022, according to ESPN.
This article was originally published at dailycaller.com
