- NBA Global Ambassador Dikembe Mutombo is in Atlanta receiving treatment
- He has a brain tumour
- He is a legend in the NBA having played for 18 seasons
The news of NBA Global Ambassador Dikembe Mutombo voice receiving treatment for a brain tumor is disheartening.
He is currently in Atlanta receiving treatment and he is optimistic all will be well. The NBA on behalf of his family said Mutombo is currently getting the best care from a team of specialists.
His family asked for privacy during this time in order to concentrate on Dikembe’s care.
Mutombo is a Congolese-American former basketball player with 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association. Following his retirement, he joined humanitarian endeavours in addition to sports.
HOW GOOD IS DIKEMBE MUTOMBO?
Many know Dikembe Mutombo voice in the NBA but he is one of basketball greats. He is among the top defensive players in league history. With 3,289 blocks, Mutombo is second in the league only to Hakeem Olajuwon (3,830).
He played the centre position, aided by his 7 feet 2 inches height. Mutombo is an eight-time All-Star and four-time winner of the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award. That’s how good he is.
Former NBA player Dikembe Mutombo. Photo by People
The eight-time NBA All-Star, represented the United States on six different occasions. He made an appearance for the US in 1995, 1997, 1998, and 2001. Mutombo would later win an award for NBA Defensive Player of the Year on four separate occasions.
From his 18-year NBA career, Mutombo became so significant that he earned a number of awards. This includes a second place on the all-time list for career blocks and 17th place in rebounds.
IS MUTOMBO A HALL OF FAMER?
One of the reasons Dikembe Mutombo voice is synonymous is because he is an NBA hall of famer. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015 after playing for 18 seasons in different clubs.
He played for the following:
- Denver Nuggets
- Atlanta Hawks
- Philadelphia 76ers
- New Jersey Nets
- New York Knicks
- Houston Rockets
Now 56, he called in time after the 2008–09 season. He ventured into humanitarian roles and became an NBA ambassador. His legacy on the court is blocking the ball, and his signature use of his right finger, which later became his signature move.
His works in Basketball Africa League revolutionized the game in his mother country. The league has 12 teams with champions from Tunisia and Egypt in the first two championships.
The top teams from each participating nation are currently together in the Sahara and Nile divisions. Through his initiative, Kigali, Rwanda’s capital is developing into an NBA hub in Africa.
Such significant efforts add gist to Dikembe Mutombo voice.
WHAT IS DIKEMBE MUTOMBO FAMOUS FOR?
Before carving Dikembe Mutombo voice, he remains famous for a record-breaking three straight seasons. He led the NBA in blocks per game and blocked shots for five straight seasons.
Dikembe Mutombo. Photo by Greek Reporter
He was a fan favourite during a time when offence was paramount. His commitment to enhancing living conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo may have had the longest-lasting impact on the sport.
He played 18 professional seasons and was a six-time All-Defensive Team member for the NBA. He retired second on the NBA’s list of career blocked shots.
An interesting fact is that Mutombo went to the Georgetown University campus intending to study medicine. But Hoya coach John Thompson couldn’t ignore him due to his enormous height.
When Mutombo started playing college basketball as a sophomore, he had little to no English knowledge. He enrolled in the ESL programme and learnt fast. Before knowing it, he was a star in the making.
Mutombo once blocked 12 shots in a single game. Taking advantage of Mutombo and teammate Alonzo Mourning’s shot-blocking prowess, Georgetown fans established “Rejection Row” under the basket.
This added a large silhouette of an outstretched hand to a banner for each shot blocked throughout the game. Mutombo won the Big East Defensive Player of the Year award twice, in 1990 (shared with Mourning) and in 1991.
Mutombo stood out at Georgetown because of his background and interests abroad. That’s how he ended up playing in the NBA for 18 seasons. The Denver Nuggets selected Mutombo with the fourth overall choice in the 1991 NBA Draft.
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