Dikembe Mutombo, an NBA Global Ambassador and Hall of Fame member, has died of brain cancer, the NBA said in a statement statement on Monday. He was 58.
Mutombo, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor 2022was surrounded by his family, the NBA said.
“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot-blockers and defensive players in the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”
Mutombo was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo before moving to the United States and playing college basketball at Georgetown University. He was drafted by the Denver Nuggets as the fourth pick in the 1991 draft. The center played with six NBA teams during his 18-year career and was an eight-time NBA All-Star. He retired in 2009.
In 2015, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Julio Cortez / AP
In addition to basketball, Mutombo started the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in the Congo in 1997. Its goal is to improve health, education and quality of life in the African country. He also serves on the boards of Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation, and the National Board for the US Fund for UNICEF.
This is a developing story and will be updated.