The NBA has lost one of its all-time greats.
Hall of Fame center Dikembe Mutombo, famous for his finger-wagging taunt and shot-blocking prowess, died of brain cancer on Monday, the association announced. He was 58.
Mutombo, a native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. He was an eight-time NBA All-Star and won the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award an eye-popping four times, which is tied for the most all time.
Sometimes referred to as “Mount Mutombo,” he was known as a prolific shot-blocker with each of his seven teams, which included the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and Atlanta Hawks. Off the court, he was equally beloved in his home country for his humanitarian work.
After blocking shots, the 7-foot-2 center was famous for wagging his finger in the air or occasionally in his opponent’s face—an all-time taunt that’s still used by players of all ages and skill levels to this day. Mutombo re-enacted his signature taunt in a Super Bowl commercial for Geico in 2013 that’s been re-aired by the company countless times over the years.
Mutombo went on to become the NBA’s first-ever global ambassador after he retired in 2009. He held the position until his death.
Mutombo first came to the United States in 1987 on an academic scholarship to attend Georgetown University. Towering over his classmates his freshman year, he caught the attention of the university’s basketball coach, who added him to the roster for his second year at the university.
Dikembo Mutombo rises to try and block a dunk by Kobe Bryant during the 2001 NBA Finals.
Andrew D. Bernstein/Getty
The budding star made the most of his opportunity and, three years later, was selected fourth in the 1991 NBA draft by the Nuggets.
The NBA said in a statement Monday that Mutombo began treatment for cancer in Atlanta in 2022. The father of three was surrounded by his family when he died, the statement said.
“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” said Commissioner Adam Silver. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”
