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LeBron James, Joel Embiid lead tributes to Dikembe Mutombo after NBA legend's passing

Published October 1, 2024, 11:00 AMPao Ambat
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Dikembe Mutombo was known for his stifling defense, impeccable shot blocking, and his signature finger-wagging taunt against his opponents.

Dikembe Mutombo is tied with Ben Wallace and Rudy Gobert as the only players in NBA history to win the Defensive Player of the Year award four times. | Photo: NBA

NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo was such a larger-than-life presence that it is hard to believe that the basketball world had just lost another legend. 

The four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year passed away after years battling from brain cancer on Monday, September 30 (PH time). He was 58 years old.

 

Mutombo led the league in blocks for three consecutive seasons from 1994 to 1996. He averaged 9.8 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 2.8 blocks across 1,196 games. 

 

In 18 seasons, the Congo native played for several teams including the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, and Houston Rockets.

 

After his retirement in 2009, Mutombo focused on philanthropy and humanitarian works to give back to his home country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the entire Africa. He went on to be NBA’s first Global Ambassador. 

With his passing, the basketball community  is mourning the loss of one of the renowned shot-blockers and defenders in league history. 

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James looked back on his fondest memory with Mutombo at the team’s media day session. 

“My fondest memory of Dikembe Mutombo — he fractured my face. On my birthday in Cleveland with an elbow. I never even got an opportunity to, like, tell him about that,” the four-time NBA champion bared.  

“I don’t remember how old I was, I was in Cleveland, my first stint... he was in Houston... And I went to the hole and caught one of those Dikembe elbows. And if anybody knows about the Dikembe elbow, they do not feel good. He fractured my face, and I went to the hospital that night, and I wore a mask for a little bit. Yeah, yeah. So that is my memory of Dikembe.”

Masai Ujiri of the Toronto Raptors returned to the press conference after learning of Mutombo's passing. He was not afraid to show his tears. The Nuggets, Rockets, and Hawks also gave tributes to the eight-time All-Star.