NBA defensive specialist Dikembe Mutombo dies at age 58

Dikembe Mutombo (Steve Lipofsky, Wikimedia Commons)

According to Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press on Monday, Dikembe Mutombo of Kinshasa, Congo has passed away at the age of 58. The cause of death was brain cancer, something Mutombo has been dealing with for the last couple of years.

A remarkable center, Mutombo played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association from 1991 to 2009. He was with the Denver Nuggets from 1991 to 1996, the Atlanta Hawks from 1996 to 2001, the Philadelphia 76ers for two seasons from 2001 to 2002, the New Jersey Nets from 2002 to 2003, the New York Knicks from 2003 to 2004, and the Houston Rockets from 2004 to 2009.

In 1196 NBA regular season games, Mutombo averaged 9.8 points per game, 10.3 rebounds per game, 2.8 blocks per game, and one assist per game. While with the Nuggets, he led the NBA in blocks for three straight years (4.1 in 1993-94, 3.9 in 1994-95, and 4.5 in 1995-96). While with the Hawks in 1999-00, he led the NBA with 14.1 rebounds per game, and then led the NBA in rebounds per game in 2000-01 (13.5) when Mutombo shared his time with the Hawks and 76ers.

Four times Mutombo was the NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1994-95 with the Nuggets, 1996-97 and 1997-98 with the Hawks, and 200-01 with the Hawks and 76ers). An eight-time All-Star, Mutombo was an ironman in the game. He played until he was 42 years old, and should be considered one of two exceptional basketball legends who were born in Africa. The other was Hakeem Olajuwon of Lagos, Nigeria, of whom the NBA Defensive Player of  the Year is named after. Mutombo was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. His number 55 is retired by the Hawks and Nuggets.