Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo has died at 58 years old after a battle with brain cancer. Mutombo’s career spanned from 1991-2009, and featured eight All-Star appearances and four Defensive Player of the Year awards.

…Hailing from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mutombo played college basketball at Georgetown and was selected fourth overall in the 1991 NBA Draft by the Nuggets. He later played for the Hawks, Sixers, Nets, Knicks and Rockets. He led the league in blocks per game three times — he would often celebrate his blocks by wagging his finger to say, “nuh uh” — and rebounds per game twice.

After his playing career, he became an ambassador for the NBA, spreading his love of the game worldwide.

“There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador. He was a humanitarian at his core. 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,” [NBA Commissioner Alan] Silver’s statement continued. “I had the privilege of traveling 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.”

https://nypost.com/2024/09/30/sports/nba-legend-dikembe-mutombo-dead-at-58/