Dikembe Mutombo, an NBA Hall of Famer who was renowned for his shot blocking and defensive prowess, has died from brain cancer, the NBA said in a statement on Monday, Report informs via CBS News.
Mutombo, 58, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2022, was surrounded by his family, the NBA said.
"Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others."
Mutombo was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo before moving to the United States and playing college basketball at Georgetown University. He was drafted to the Denver Nuggets as the fourth pick in the 1991 draft. The center played with six NBA teams throughout his 18-year career and was an eight-time NBA All-Star. He retired in 2009.
In 2015, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
As CBS Sports noted, his 3,289 blocks rank second all-time in NBA history, and he was known for his signature finger wag celebration. In addition to the Nuggets, he played for the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets.