Dikembe Mutombo, basketball Hall of Famer, receiving brain tumor treatment
Hall of Fame NBA center Dikembe Mutombo is currently undergoing treatment for a brain tumor in Atlanta, according to a statement from the NBA.
The NBA issued today the following statement on behalf of Dikembe Mutombo and his family. pic.twitter.com/ZkuqwwUFVG
— NBA (@NBA) October 15, 2022
Mutombo, 56, is a beloved player and longtime global ambassador for the league. “He is receiving the best care possible from a collaborative team of specialists," according to the statement, which also says he is in "great spirits."
His family requests privacy as they focus on caring for him during this time.
Mutombo’s impact
Dikembe Mutombo is so iconic that the idea of defense is synonymous with his name. The four-time defensive player of the year popularized his classic finger wag after his countless rejections at the rim.
Originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mutombo spent 18 seasons in the NBA, playing for Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, New York and the New Jersey Nets.
Only beginning to play basketball when he was 17, the 7-foot-2 center out of Georgetown was an eight-time All-Star. A three-time All-NBA pick, Mutombo was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.
Mutombo’s son Ryan is now following in his footsteps, playing center at Georgetown at the exact same height his father did.
Six-time NBA All-Star Pau Gasol reacted to the news on Twitter.
“Praying for a full and speedy recovery, dear Dikembe. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family” he wrote.
The 42-year-old recently drew Mutombo comparisons in an impressive Euroleague showing last summer.
Sarunas Jasikevicius: "We didn't sign Pau Gasol, we signed Mutombo"pic.twitter.com/x8CjvaXYaD
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) May 4, 2021
Truly a worldwide representative for the league, Mutombo has publicly advocated for the “great potential” of NBA Africa expansion.
He recently appeared at Hall of Fame events in Springfield, Massachusetts, and a couple of preseason games in Saitama, Japan. Even in his entrepreneurial pursuits, Mutombo attempts to create more opportunities for women and people of color with Mutombo coffee.
Mutombo also appeared with the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken at an event in the Congo in August. In his retirement, Mutombo has poured himself into humanitarian efforts there. He built a hospital that provided people with cataract and knee replacement surgery. He even arranged for thousands of free cervical and breast cancer screenings for women. His foundation is now in the process of building a high school in the Congo with a focus on medicine and science.
