The NBA community is mourning the death of Dikembe Mutombo, who died Monday due to brain cancer at 58 years old.
The Basketball Hall of Famer was an eight-time NBA All-Star and four-time NBA Defensive Player of the year across 18 seasons with the Nuggets, Hawks, Sixers, Nets, Knicks and Rockets.
His No. 55 was retired by Atlanta and Denver.
His son, Ryan Mutumbo, called him a hero in a post on Instagram fondly remembering his dad.
“My dad will forever be my hero,” Ryan wrote. “Not because of his success — because of the millions who, over the last four decades, have come to know and love him.
“My dad is my hero because he simply cared. He remains the purest heart I have ever known.
“At times, I thought of my dad as a super-human. The child in me would sigh to hear that this was never actually the case. My dad was a regular man who would stop at no lengths to honor the world, its people, and its creator. He loved others with every ounce of his being. That’s what made him so accessible. That’s what made him real.
“Dikembe Mutombo was salt and light, and today, on the 30th of September, 2024, he has been called to rest. I love you, Dad. Rest easy.”
Sixers general manager Daryl Morey was emotional when he reflected on his relationship with Mutombo — who helped Philadelphia reach the NBA Finals for the first time in 18 years and earned his fourth NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in 2001.
“I knew him personally,” Morey, who was the Rockets GM in the late 2000s when Mutombo was on the team, said at Sixers media day.
“We were together for many seasons, and he’s obviously important to the Sixers franchise as well. There aren’t many guys like him. Just a great human being. When I was a rookie GM in this league, my first chance in Houston, he was someone I went to all the time. Obviously his accomplishments on the court… but an amazing human being – what he did off the court, for Africa… Rest in peace, Dikembe.”
Raptors president Masai Ujiri couldn’t hold back tears while reacting to Mutombo’s death at a press conference during media day.
“It’s really hard to believe… it’s hard for us to be without that guy,” Ujiri said. “You have no idea what Dikembe Mutombo meant to me.”
Stephen A. Smith paid tribute to Mutombo on Monday’s installment of “First Take,” and remembered his charity work off of the court.
“No matter what you know about him as a basketball player, he was an even better human being. Always was about giving — always was about helping the Dominican Republic of Congo, along with being a humanitarian for the world. His heart was just huge, it was big,” Smith said.
“One of the most beautiful, beautiful human beings I’ve ever known. It’s really really sad that he went through what he was going through and ultimately lost his battle.”
Mutombo is survived by his wife Rose and their three children, in addition to four adopted children from Rose’s brother after he passed.
