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Dikeme Mutombo’s jersey is retired in both Denver and Atlanta after a successful 19-year career in the NBA. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
On Monday, the NBA world lost a giant, with the death of Dikembe Mutombo at age 58. Throughout the day, members of the basketball world paid homage to the Hall of Famer and humanitarian, honoring his on-court and off-court legacy.
The NBA announced the news Monday morning with a statement from commissioner Adam Silver, who wrote about his personal relationship with Mutombo, who became a global ambassador for the NBA.
“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life 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,” Silver wrote in the statement. “I am one of the many people whose lives were touched by big heart, and I will miss him dearly.”
NBA Global Ambassador and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo passed away today at the age of 58 from brain cancer. He was surrounded by his family.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement. pic.twitter.com/uHgZgSBDUJ
— NBA (@NBA) September 30, 2024
Mutombo’s son, Ryan, wrote a heartfelt message on Instagram, calling his father his hero and “the purest heart I have ever known.”
“At times, I thought of my dad as a super-human. This child in me would sigh to hear that this was never actually the case,” Ryan Mutombo wrote in the post. “My dad was a regular man who would stop at no lengths to honor the world, its people and its creator. He loved others with every ounce of his being. That’s what made him so accessible. That’s what made him real.”
The Houston Rockets, where Mutombo ended his 19-year-old career, paid tribute to the late NBA great on social media. In a statement, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta wrote that, “Dikembe was beloved by the entire NBA community and his tireless humanitarian efforts left an indelible mark on our league.”
Today we mourn the loss of a true ambassador of our game, Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo. Dikembe spent 18 seasons in the NBA, including his final five as a Houston…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/just-a-great-human-being-joel-embiid-adam-silver-pau-gasol-and-more-react-to-death-of-dikembe-mutombo-162059562.html
Author : Yahoo Sports
Publish date : 2024-09-30 16:20:59
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