In addition to dominating the defense at Georgetown and the NBA, Dikamba Mutombo also left a legacy off the court through his humanitarian work in Central Africa. Mutombo died on September 30 in Atlanta. He was a shot-blocking, finger-wagging basketball Hall of Famer. He was fifty-eight years old.
Commissioner Adam Silver of the National Basketball Association said in a statement that brain cancer was the cause. where mr. Dead Mutombo was not mentioned in the message.
For eighteen seasons, Mr. Mutombo, a 6-foot-2 center with size 22 sneakers and a gravelly basso propondo voice, was a dominant force in the NBA. He would grab rebounds, block shots from opponents and taunt opponents with his trademark finger snap, which sounded like a teacher scolding a naughty child.
He blocked 3,289 shots by the time he retired in 2009, second only to Hakeem Olajuwon in league history.
In a 1994 Sports Illustrated interview, Golden State Warriors coach Don Nelson described Mr. Mutombo's impact near the basket as “there is no one else in our league that has the intimidating presence that he has in the pit.” “He's like no other.”
Raised in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly known as Zaire, Mr. Mutombo spoke nine languages growing up, but when he came to study at Georgetown University in 1987, he barely knew what zone defense was in English. Originally intending to be a doctor, he decided to play basketball for the Hoyas under coach John Thompson, who was known for developing tough, defensive-minded players like Patrick Ewing.
