A Knick in 2003-04, Mutombo was a Hall of Famer both on and off the court.
In case you didn’t see the news earlier, NBA Hall of Famer and former Knick, Dikembe Mutombo, has passed away at the age of 58. Mutombo died from the brain cancer that he had been diagnosed with in 2022. Beyond his contributions on the court, Mutombo was a phenomenal advocate for spreading the game overseas and through his foundation, has done tremendous humanitarian work for his native Democratic Republic of the Congo.
— NEW YORK KNICKS (@nyknicks) September 30, 2024
Mutombo was born and raised in Kinshasa in 1966 and, like many African NBA players, didn’t pick up the game until his teenage years, as his family pushed him towards the game due to his height. He enrolled at Georgetown University in 1988, three years after Patrick Ewing left for the NBA. He wanted to become a doctor, but was seriously pushed into basketball because of his God-given ability.
After three years, including a ridiculous 15.2/12.2/4.7 season (yes, that’s 4.7 blocks) junior year, Mutombo was picked fourth overall by the Denver Nuggets in 1991. Although he wasn’t much of a scorer (he attempted two 3-pointers in his entire career), he averaged 13 points a game as a Nugget over five seasons, notching three All-Star appearances, the 1995 Defensive Player of the Year, and a runner-up to fellow future Knick Larry Johnson in ROTY voting.
The late start to his career meant that he was already 30 by the time he got to Atlanta in 1996, but it didn’t stop him from winning another three DPOYs and even down-ballot MVP votes in 1997. He led the NBA in rebounding twice and blocks three times. He was named to his last All-Star and All-NBA team in 2001-02 with the 76ers and was a Defensive Player of the Year finalist for the ninth year in a row.
He spent a year in New Jersey before joining the Knicks prior to the 2003-04 season. In 65 games, Mutombo averaged 5.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 1.9 blocks on 47.8% shooting in 23 MPG at age 37. He was still a beast, but Father Time was catching up. He was sent to the Bulls in the Jamal Crawford trade in the offseason and spent five years with the Rockets before retiring at the end of the 2008-09 season, around his 43rd birthday.
On the court, his resume is tremendous. 8x All-Star, 3x All-NBA, 6x All-Defense, 4x Defensive Player of the Year. The league’s second all-time leading blocker behind Hakeem Olajuwon with 3,289. 13th in offensive rebounds, 21st in total rebounds, and the only player in history to lead the league in blocks five times.
Off the court, he started his own foundation, giving back to his home country. He was given The President’s Award by Bill Clinton in 2000 and honored at the 2007 State of the Union by George W. Bush. He was awarded the John Thompson Jr Legacy of a Dream Award in 2010, the 2013 Congressional Humanitarian Award, and was appointed by then-commissioner David Stern to the newly created position of NBA Global Ambassador.
His signature celebration, the finger wag, was a defining gesture for a generation of basketball fans. Dikembe appeared in early-2000s movies such as Juwanna Mann and Like Mike. For younger fans, when they think of Mutombo, they think about his iconic GEICO commercial.
In 2015, Mutombo was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Between him and Olajuwon, they opened up a new door for many African athletes. All over the game today we see players with African heritage, from Joel Embiid to Serge Ibaka to Pascal Siakam. The basketball world lost a tremendous man today, who was not only one of the greatest shot blockers and rebounders in league history but also a man who used his fame and fortune to give back to the people who needed it, knowing where he came from.
Rest in Peace, Dikembe. Once a Knick, Always a Knick.