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Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo (born June 25, 1966) is a Congolese-American former professional
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player. Mutombo played 18 seasons in the
National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United S ...
(NBA). Outside basketball, he has become well known for his
humanitarian Humanitarianism is an active belief in the value of human life, whereby humans practice benevolent treatment and provide assistance to other humans to reduce suffering and improve the conditions of humanity for moral, altruistic, and emotional ...
work. The ,
center Center or centre may refer to: Mathematics *Center (geometry), the middle of an object * Center (algebra), used in various contexts ** Center (group theory) ** Center (ring theory) * Graph center, the set of all vertices of minimum eccentricity ...
, who began his career with the
Georgetown Hoyas The Georgetown Hoyas are the collegiate athletics teams that officially represent Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C. Georgetown's athletics department fields 23 men's and women's varsity level teams and competes at the National C ...
, is commonly regarded as one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players of all time, winning the
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award The NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the best defensive player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of 124 sportswrit ...
four times; he was also an eight-time All-Star. On January 10, 2007, he surpassed
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Kareem (alternatively spelled Karim or Kerim) ( ar, کریم) is a common given name and surname of Arabic origin that means "generous", "noble", "honorable". It is also one of the Names of God in Islam in the Quran. Given name Karim * Karim A ...
as the second most prolific shot blocker in NBA history, behind only
Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (; ; born January 21, 1963), nicknamed "the Dream", is a Nigerian Americans, Nigerian-American former professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played Center (basketball), center in the National Basketball Ass ...
, and he averaged a
double-double In basketball, a double-double is a single-game performance in which a player accumulates ten or more in two of the following five statistical categories: points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocked shots. The first "double" in the term ...
for most of his career. At the conclusion of the
2009 NBA playoffs The 2009 NBA playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 2008–09 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeating the Eastern Conference champion Orlando M ...
, Mutombo announced his retirement. On September 11, 2015, he was inducted into the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...
.


Early life

Mutombo was born on June 25, 1966, in
Kinshasa Kinshasa (; ; ln, Kinsásá), formerly Léopoldville ( nl, Leopoldstad), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Once a site of fishing and trading villages situated along the Congo River, Kinshasa is now one o ...
,
Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...
, as one of 10 children to Samuel and Biamba Marie Mutombo. His father worked as a school principal and then in Congo's department of education. Mutombo speaks English,
French French (french: français(e), link=no) may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France, and its various dialects and accents ** French people, a nation and ethnic group identified with Franc ...
,
Spanish Spanish might refer to: * Items from or related to Spain: **Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain **Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries **Spanish cuisine Other places * Spanish, Ontario, Cana ...
,
Portuguese Portuguese may refer to: * anything of, from, or related to the country and nation of Portugal ** Portuguese cuisine, traditional foods ** Portuguese language, a Romance language *** Portuguese dialects, variants of the Portuguese language ** Portu ...
, and five Central African languages, including
Lingala Lingala (Ngala) (Lingala: ''Lingála'') is a Bantu language spoken in the northwest of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the northern half of the Republic of the Congo, in their capitals, Kinshasa and Brazzaville, and to a lesser degree in ...
and Tshiluba. He is a member of the Luba ethnic group. For high school, Mutombo went to Boboto College in Kinshasa to lay the groundwork for his medical career as the classes were more challenging there. He played
football Football is a family of team sports that involve, to varying degrees, kicking a ball to score a goal. Unqualified, the word ''football'' normally means the form of football that is the most popular where the word is used. Sports commonly c ...
and participated in
martial arts Martial arts are codified systems and traditions of combat practiced for a number of reasons such as self-defense; military and law enforcement applications; combat sport, competition; physical, mental, and spiritual development; entertainment; a ...
. At around age 16, Mutombo decided to also work on his basketball career at the encouragement of his father and brother due to his height. He moved to the United States in 1987 at the age of 21 to enroll in college.


College

Mutombo attended Georgetown University on a USAID scholarship. He originally intended to become a doctor, but the
Georgetown Hoyas The Georgetown Hoyas are the collegiate athletics teams that officially represent Georgetown University, located in Washington, D.C. Georgetown's athletics department fields 23 men's and women's varsity level teams and competes at the National C ...
basketball coach
John Thompson John Thompson may refer to: Academics * J. A. Thompson (1913–2002), Australian biblical scholar * John D. Thompson (1917–1992), nurse and professor at the Yale School of Public Health * John G. Thompson (born 1932), American mathematician * ...
recruited him to play basketball. He spoke almost no English when he arrived at Georgetown and studied in the ESL program. During his first year of college basketball as a sophomore, Mutombo once blocked 12 shots in a game. Building on the shot-blocking power of Mutombo and teammate
Alonzo Mourning Alonzo Harding Mourning Jr. (born February 8, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player who has served as vice president of player programs and development for the Miami Heat since June 2009. Mourning played most of his 15-year ...
, Georgetown fans created a "Rejection Row" section under the basket, adding a big silhouette of an outstretched hand to a banner for each shot blocked during the game. Mutombo was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year twice, in 1990 (shared with Mourning) and in 1991. At Georgetown, Mutombo's international background and interests stood out. Like many other Washington-area college students, he served as a summer intern, once for the Congress of the United States and once for the World Bank. In 1991, he graduated with bachelor's degrees in linguistics and diplomacy.


NBA career


Denver Nuggets

left, Mutombo playing for the Denver Nuggets, against Olden Polynice of the Clippers In the 1991 NBA draft, the
Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team was founded as the D ...
drafted Mutombo with the fourth overall pick. The Nuggets ranked last in the NBA in opponent points-per-game and Defensive Rating, and Mutombo's shot-blocking ability made an immediate impression across the league. He developed his signature move in 1992 as a way to become more marketable and gain product endorsement contracts. After blocking a player's shot, he would point his right index finger at that player and move it side to side. That year, Mutombo starred in an
Adidas Adidas AG (; stylized as adidas since 1949) is a German multinational corporation, founded and headquartered in Herzogenaurach, Bavaria, that designs and manufactures shoes, clothing and accessories. It is the largest sportswear manufactur ...
advertisement that used the catchphrase "Man does not fly ... in the house of Mutombo", a reference to his prolific shot-blocking. As a rookie, Mutombo was selected for the All-Star team and averaged 16.6 points, 12.3 rebounds, and nearly three blocks per game. Mutombo began establishing himself as one of the league's best defensive players, regularly putting up big rebound and block numbers. The 1993–94 season saw Denver continue to improve with Mutombo as the franchise cornerstone. During that season, Mutombo averaged 12.0 points per game, 11.8 rebounds per game, and 4.1 blocks per game. With that, he helped the Nuggets finish with a 42-40 record and qualify as the eighth seed in the playoffs. They were matched up with the top-seeded 63–19 Seattle SuperSonics in the first round. After falling to an 0-2 deficit in the five-game series, Denver won three straight games to pull off a major playoff upset, becoming the first eighth seed to defeat a number one seed in an NBA playoff series. At the end of Game 5, Mutombo memorably grabbed the game-winning rebound and fell to the ground, holding the ball over his head in a moment of joy. Mutombo's defensive presence was the key to the upset victory; his total of 31 blocks remains a record for a five-game series. In the second round of the playoffs, the Nuggets fell to the Utah Jazz, 4-3. The following season, he was selected for his second All-Star game and received the
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award The NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the best defensive player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of 124 sportswrit ...
. But Denver failed to build on its success from the previous playoffs, as Mutombo lacked a quality supporting cast around him. During his last season with the Nuggets, Mutombo averaged 11.0 points per game, 11.8 rebounds per game and a career-high 4.5 blocks per game. At the conclusion of the 1995–96 season, Mutombo became a free agent, and reportedly sought a 10-year contract, something the Nuggets considered impossible to offer.
Bernie Bickerstaff Bernard Tyrone Bickerstaff (born February 11, 1944) is an American basketball coach and front office executive, currently serving as the Senior Basketball Advisor for the Cleveland Cavaliers. As a coach, he previously worked as the head coach for ...
, then the Nuggets' general manager, later said not bringing back Mutombo was his biggest regret as GM.


Atlanta Hawks

After the
1995–96 NBA season The 1995–96 NBA season was the 50th season of the National Basketball Association (NBA), though the 50th anniversary was not celebrated until the following season. The Chicago Bulls defeated the Seattle SuperSonics 4 games to 2 in the NBA Final ...
, Mutombo signed a 5-year, $55 million free agent contract with the Atlanta Hawks. He and Hawks All-Star Steve Smith led Atlanta to back-to-back 50+-win seasons in 1996–97 (56–26) and 1997–98 (50–32). Mutombo won Defensive Player of the Year both years, continuing to put up excellent defensive numbers with the Hawks. In the 1997 NBA Playoffs, the Hawks defeated the Detroit Pistons in five games. In Game 1 of that series, Mutombo led all scorers and rebounders, with 26 points and 15 rebounds respectively, in a 89-75 win over the Pistons. In the next round, despite Mutombo averaging a double-double and 2.6 blocks per game, the Hawks lost in five games to the defending champion Chicago Bulls. The following season, on April 9, 1998, Mutombo scored 20 points and grabbed 24 rebounds in a 105-102 loss to the
Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first esta ...
. That season ended in disappointment for Mutombo and the Hawks, as despite finishing with a similar record to the previous season, Mutombo averaged only 8.0 points and 12.8 rebounds a game while the Hawks lost to their division rival
Charlotte Hornets The Charlotte Hornets are an American professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Hornets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division, and pla ...
three games to one in the first round. During the
lockout Lockout may refer to: * Lockout (industry), a type of work stoppage **Dublin Lockout, a major industrial dispute between approximately 20,000 workers and 300 employers 1913 - 1914 * Lockout (sports), lockout in sports leagues **MLB lockout, lock ...
-shortened 1998–99 season, he was the NBA's IBM Award winner, a player of the year award determined by a computerized formula. That year, the NBA banned the Mutombo finger wag, and after a period of protest, he complied with the new rule. In what would be his last full season with the Hawks during the 1999-00 season, Mutombo averaged 11.5 points per game, a career and league-high 14.1 rebounds per game, and 3.3 blocks per game. On December 14, 1999, Mutombo scored 27 points, on 11-for-11 shooting from the field, grabbed a season-high 29 rebounds and recorded a game-high 6 blocks to pull out the win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.


Philadelphia 76ers

At the February 2001 trade deadline, the Hawks traded Mutombo to the Eastern Conference-leading
Philadelphia 76ers The Philadelphia 76ers, colloquially known as the Sixers, are an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eas ...
, along with
Roshown McLeod Roshown McLeod (born November 17, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player who was selected by the Atlanta Hawks in the first round (20th pick overall) of the 1998 NBA draft. A 6'8" small forward from St. John's University and ...
, in exchange for
Pepe Sánchez Pepe is a pet form of the Spanish name José (Josep). It is also a surname. * People Mononyms *Pepe (footballer, born 1935), real name José Macia, Brazilian footballer *Pepe (footballer, born 1983), real name Képler Laveran Lima Ferreira, ...
,
Toni Kukoč Toni Kukoč, nicknamed ''“The Waiter”'' (; born September 18, 1968) is a Croatian-American former professional basketball player who serves as Special Advisor to Jerry Reinsdorf, the owner of the Chicago Bulls. After a highly successful perio ...
, future teammate Nazr Mohammed, and injured center Theo Ratliff. One week earlier, Mutombo played in the All-Star game; he led the game with 22 rebounds and 3 blocks. Along with game MVP
Allen Iverson Allen Ezail Iverson (; born June 7, 1975) is an American former professional basketball player. Nicknamed "the Answer", he played 14 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) at both the shooting guard and point guard positions. Iver ...
and coach Larry Brown, both of the 76ers, the East rallied from a 95–74 fourth-quarter deficit to win 111-110 on Mutombo and Iverson's strong performances. After the game, rumors began of a trade sending Mutombo to Philadelphia. With Ratliff out for the remainder of the year, the Sixers needed a big man to compete with potential matchups against Western Conference powers Vlade Divac, Tim Duncan, David Robinson or
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), known commonly as "Shaq" ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. O'Neal is regarded as one of the greates ...
, should they reach the
NBA Finals The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awa ...
. In arguably his best season as a pro, Mutombo earned his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award that season. During the 2001 Playoffs, they defeated the
Indiana Pacers The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division. The Pacers were first esta ...
in 4 games, Toronto Raptors in 7 games and Milwaukee Bucks in a 7-game series. During Game 7 against the Bucks, Mutombo scored 23 points, grabbed 19 rebounds and blocked 7 shots to win the series. Mutombo helped the Sixers reach the
NBA Finals The NBA Finals is the annual championship series of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The Eastern and Western Conference champions play a best-of-seven game series to determine the league champion. The team that wins the series is awa ...
. After pulling off an upset and winning Game 1 against the
Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
(the only playoff game the Lakers lost in 2001), the Sixers lost the next four games and the series. Matched up against Shaq, Mutombo averaged 16.8 points, 12.2 rebounds and 2.2 blocks. A free-agent, he re-signed with the Sixers after the season to a four-year, $68 million contract. The 2001–02 season saw a change in the Eastern conference hierarchy; the Sixers were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, while the New Jersey Nets surged to the top of the standings, making it all the way to the Finals against the Lakers (the Nets were swept).


New Jersey Nets

Looking for a big man to compete with the likes of
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), known commonly as "Shaq" ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program ''Inside the NBA''. O'Neal is regarded as one of the greates ...
and Tim Duncan, the Nets sent future teammate Keith Van Horn and Todd MacCulloch to Philadelphia in exchange for Mutombo. But Mutombo spent most of that season with a nagging injury that limited him to just 24 games. He was generally unable to play in the playoffs, typically serving as a sixth man during the Nets' second consecutive Finals run (they lost to the Spurs in six games). After one contentious season in New Jersey, the Nets bought out the remaining two years on his contract.


New York Knicks

In October 2003, he signed a two-year deal with the
New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
. After a dominant performance against the crosstown rival New Jersey Nets that included 10 blocks, Knicks fans began waving their fingers at Mutombo. He chose to respond in kind after a referee told him that as long as the gesture was not directed at a particular player, the league would not punish him. In August 2004, the Knicks traded him to the Chicago Bulls, along with
Cezary Trybański Cezary Trybański (born September 22, 1979) is a Polish former professional basketball player. He is a 7'2" 235 lb center. He was the first Polish-born player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Born in Warsaw, he is the brother of ...
, Othella Harrington, and Frank Williams in exchange for Jerome Williams and Jamal Crawford.


Houston Rockets

Prior to the 2004–05 season, the Bulls traded Mutombo to the
Houston Rockets The Houston Rockets are an American professional basketball team based in Houston. The Rockets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member team of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its ho ...
for Mike Wilks,
Eric Piatkowski Eric Todd Piatkowski (; born September 30, 1970) is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Nebraska Cornhuskers men's basketball, Nebraska Cornhuskers. ...
and Adrian Griffin.
Yao Ming Yao Ming (; born September 12, 1980) is a Chinese basketball executive and former professional player. He played for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Associat ...
and Mutombo formed one of the NBA's most productive center combos. In his first season with the Rockets, Mutombo averaged 15.2 MPG, 5.3 RPG, 4.0 PPG, and 1.3 BPG. The Rockets lost in the first round to the Dallas Mavericks. On March 2, 2007, in a win over the
Denver Nuggets The Denver Nuggets are an American professional basketball team based in Denver. The Nuggets compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Northwest Division. The team was founded as the D ...
at age 40, Mutombo became the oldest player in NBA history to record more than 20 rebounds in a game, with 22. In the 2007–08 season, Mutombo received extensive playing time when Yao went down with a broken bone and averaged double digits in rebounding as a starter. In midst of a 10-game winning streak at the time of Yao's injury, Mutombo stepped in and helped the Rockets win 12 more games to complete a 22-game winning streak, then a team record. On January 10, 2008, in a 102–77 rout of the
Los Angeles Lakers The Los Angeles Lakers are an American professional basketball team based in Los Angeles. The Lakers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. The Lakers play their ...
, Mutombo recorded 5 blocked shots and surpassed
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Kareem (alternatively spelled Karim or Kerim) ( ar, کریم) is a common given name and surname of Arabic origin that means "generous", "noble", "honorable". It is also one of the Names of God in Islam in the Quran. Given name Karim * Karim A ...
in total career blocked shots, trailing only
Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (; ; born January 21, 1963), nicknamed "the Dream", is a Nigerian Americans, Nigerian-American former professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played Center (basketball), center in the National Basketball Ass ...
. After contemplating retirement and spending the first part of 2008 as an unsigned free agent, on December 31, 2008, Mutombo signed with the Houston Rockets for the remainder of the 2008–09 season. He said that the 2009 would be his "farewell tour" and his final season; he was the oldest player in the NBA in 2009. In Game 1 of Houston's first-round playoff series against
Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...
, Mutombo played for 18 minutes and had nine rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. In the 2nd quarter of Game 2, Mutombo landed awkwardly and had to be carried from the floor. After the game, he said, "it's over for me for my career" and that surgery would be needed. It was later confirmed that the quadriceps tendon of his left knee was ruptured in Game 2. Mutombo announced retirement on April 23, 2009, after 18 seasons in the NBA.


Player profile

The , Mutombo played center, where he was regarded as one of the top inside defenders of all time. Nicknamed "Mt. Mutombo", his combination of height, power, and long arms led to a record-tying four NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards, a feat equaled only by
Ben Wallace Ben Wallace most commonly refers to: *Ben Wallace (basketball) (born 1974), American basketball player *Ben Wallace (politician) (born 1970), British Secretary of State for Defence Ben Wallace may also refer to: * Benjamin Wallace (circus owner) (1 ...
. Mutombo was among the top three players in Defensive Player of the Year voting for nine consecutive seasons from
1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...
to
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
. Staples of Mutombo's defensive prowess were his outstanding shot-blocking and rebounding power. Over his career, he averaged 2.8 blocks and 10.3 rebounds per game. He is second all-time in registered blocks, behind only
Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon (; ; born January 21, 1963), nicknamed "the Dream", is a Nigerian Americans, Nigerian-American former professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played Center (basketball), center in the National Basketball Ass ...
, and is the 20th most prolific rebounder ever. He was also an eight-time All-Star and was elected into three All-NBA and six All-Defensive Teams. Along with his defensive prowess, Mutombo also contributed offensively, averaging at least 10 points per game until he reached age 35. Mutombo also achieved a certain level of on-court notoriety. After a successful block, he was known for taunting his opponents by waving his index finger, like a parent reproaching a disobedient child. Later in his career, NBA officials would respond to the gesture with a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct. To avoid the technical foul, Mutombo took to waving his finger at the crowd or the TV cameras after a block, which is not considered taunting by the rules. Additionally, his flailing elbows were known for injuring several NBA players, including
Michael Jordan Michael Jeffrey Jordan (born February 17, 1963), also known by his initials MJ, is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. His biography on the official NBA website states: "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the g ...
, Dennis Rodman,
Charles Oakley Charles Oakley (born December 18, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player. Oakley played for the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards, and Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association ( ...
, Patrick Ewing, Chauncey Billups, Ray Allen,
Yao Ming Yao Ming (; born September 12, 1980) is a Chinese basketball executive and former professional player. He played for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Associat ...
, LeBron James and Tracy McGrady. His former teammate Yao Ming made a joke about it: "I need to talk to Coach to have Dikembe held out of practice, because if he hits somebody in practice, it's our teammate. At least in the games, it's 50/50."


Personal life

In 1987, Mutombo's 6'10" older brother, Ilo, began playing college basketball in Division II for the
Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles The Southern Indiana Screaming Eagles (colloquially known as Screagles) are the athletic teams that represent the University of Southern Indiana, located outside Evansville in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, in NCAA Division I intercollegiate sports ...
as a 26-year-old freshman. The brothers played against each other in a 1990 game at the
Capital Centre Capitol Center or Capitol Centre or Capital Center or Capital Centre may refer to: Singapore *Capitol Centre, Singapore United Arab Emirates *Capital Centre (Abu Dhabi) United Kingdom *Capitol Centre, Cardiff, a shopping mall United States * Ca ...
. He met his wife, Rose, during a visit to Kinshasa in 1995. They live in Atlanta and have three children together. They also adopted four children from Rose's deceased brothers. His son, Ryan, was ranked as the 16th best center in high school and committed in 2021 to play at Georgetown. Mutombo was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by the State University of New York College at Cortland in 2004 for his humanitarian work in Africa. More recently, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Georgetown University in 2010. There he delivered the commencement address for Georgetown College of Arts and Sciences, of which he is an alumnus. He also received an honorary doctorate from
Haverford College Haverford College ( ) is a private liberal arts college in Haverford, Pennsylvania. It was founded as a men's college in 1833 by members of the Religious Society of Friends (Quakers), began accepting non-Quakers in 1849, and became coeducational ...
in May 2011. In November 2015, the NCAA announced Mutombo as a recipient of its
Silver Anniversary Awards The Silver Anniversary Awards are awarded every year by the American National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) to recognize six distinguished former student-athletes on their 25th anniversary as college graduates. The Silver Anniversary Aw ...
for 2016. The awards are presented annually to six former NCAA athletes on the 25th anniversary of the final academic year of their college careers, recognizing both excellence of play while in college and professional achievement after college. The announcement cited both his basketball career and extensive humanitarian work. Mutombo's nephew Harouna Mutombo played college basketball for the
Western Carolina Catamounts The Western Carolina Catamounts are the intercollegiate athletics teams that represent Western Carolina University. The Catamounts compete in the NCAA Division I as members of the Southern Conference. Western Carolina fields 16 varsity sports te ...
and professionally in Europe. Harouna was the team's leading scorer for the 2009 season and was named Southern Conference Freshman of the Year. His nephew Haboubacar Mutombo also committed to play basketball at Western Carolina beginning in 2013. His nephew
Mfiondu Kabengele Mfiondu Tshimanga Kabengele (born August 14, 1997) is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association, on a two-way contract with the Maine Celtics of the NBA G League. He played college b ...
played college basketball at Florida State University and was the 2018–19 ACC Sixth Man of the Year. He later was drafted in the first round of the 2019 NBA draft and signed a playing contract with the Los Angeles Clippers. His son, Ryan Mutombo, currently plays college basketball for Georgetown. Ryan is listed at and plays center. Coming out of high school, Ryan was a highly touted 4 star recruit in the 2021 recruiting class. Mutombo was among those who witnessed the
2016 Brussels bombings On 22 March 2016, two coordinated terrorist attacks in Brussels, Belgium were carried out by the Islamic State. Three coordinated suicide bombings occurred: two at Brussels Airport in Zaventem, and one at Maalbeek metro station on the Brussels m ...
at
Brussels Airport Brussels Airport, nl, Luchthaven Brussel, vls, Vliegpling Brussel, german: Flughafen Brüssel is an international airport northeast of Brussels, the capital of Belgium. In 2019, more than 26 million passengers arrived or departed at Bruss ...
on March 22, 2016. Shortly after the bombings, he posted a report on his Facebook page saying that he was safe. His first post said, "God is good. I am in the Brussels Airport with this craziness. I am fine." On October 15, 2022, he announced that he was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor.


Media

Mutombo made a cameo appearance in the 2002 films ''
Juwanna Mann ''Juwanna Mann'' is a 2002 American romantic comedy-drama film directed by Jesse Vaughan, written by Bradley Allenstein, produced by Bill Gerber, and starring Miguel A. Núñez Jr., Vivica A. Fox, Kevin Pollak, Tommy Davidson, Kim Wayans, Gi ...
'' and '' Like Mike'', which also mentioned his name in its theme song " Basketball". In 2012, Mutombo lent his voice and likeness to a 16-bit style Flash game released by Old Spice humorously titled ''Dikembe Mutombo's 4 1/2 Weeks to Save the World''. Mutombo appeared in a
GEICO The Government Employees Insurance Company (GEICO ) is a private American auto insurance company with headquarters in Chevy Chase, Maryland. It is the second largest auto insurer in the United States, after State Farm. GEICO is a wholly owne ...
auto insurance commercial in February 2013, parodying his shot-blocking ability by applying it to real world situations. Mutombo co-starred with Kevin Harvick in a Mobil 1 commercial for its annual protection brand, saying "Don't change your oil." Mutombo had a brief cameo in the 2021 film ''
Coming 2 America ''Coming 2 America'' is a 2021 American romantic comedy film that serves as a sequel to the 1988 film ''Coming to America'' starring Eddie Murphy and directed by Craig Brewer, from a screenplay by Kenya Barris, Barry W. Blaustein, and David ...
'' as himself.


Humanitarian work

A well-known humanitarian, Mutombo started the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to improve living conditions in his native Democratic Republic of Congo in 1997. His efforts earned him the NBA's
J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award The J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award was an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given from 1975 to 2020 to a player, coach, or staff member who showed "outstanding service and dedication to the community." The award was named in ...
in 2001 and 2009. For his feats, ''
Sporting News The ''Sporting News'' is a website and former magazine publication owned by Sporting News Holdings, which is a U.S.-based sports media company formed in December 2020 by a private investor consortium. It was originally established in 1886 as a pr ...
'' named him as one of the "Good Guys in Sports" in 1999 and 2000, and in 1999, he was elected as one of 20 winners of the President's Service Awards, the nation's highest honor for volunteer service. In 2004, he participated in the Basketball Without Borders NBA program, where NBA stars like Shawn Bradley,
Malik Rose Malik Jabari Rose (born November 23, 1974) is an American former professional basketball player. Rose played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning championships with the San Antonio Spurs in 1999 and 2003. High school ...
and DeSagana Diop toured Africa to spread the word about basketball and to improve the infrastructure. He paid for uniforms and expenses for the Zaire women's basketball team during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta. Mutombo is a spokesman for the international relief agency,
CARE Care may refer to: Organizations and projects * CARE (New Zealand), Citizens Association for Racial Equality, a former New Zealand organisation * CARE (relief agency), "Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere", an international aid and ...
and is the first youth emissary for the United Nations Development Program. Mutombo is a longtime supporter of Special Olympics and is currently a member of the Special Olympics International Board of Directors, as well as a Global Ambassador. He has been a pioneer of Unified Sports, which brings together people with and without intellectual disabilities. He also played in the Unity Cup in South Africa before the 2010 World Cup Quarterfinal, along with South African President
Jacob Zuma Jacob Gedleyihlekisa Zuma (; born 12 April 1942) is a South African politician who served as the fourth president of South Africa from 2009 to 2018. He is also referred to by his initials JZ and clan name Msholozi, and was a former anti-aparth ...
and Special Olympics athletes from around the world. Mutombo joined his second Unity Cup team in 2012. In honor of his humanitarianism, Mutombo was invited to President
George W. Bush George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
's
2007 State of the Union Address The 2007 State of the Union Address was given by the 43rd president of the United States, George W. Bush, on January 23, 2007, at 9:00 p.m. EST, in the chamber of the United States House of Representatives to the 110th United States Congress. It ...
and was referred to as a "son of the Congo" by the President in his speech. Mutombo later said, "My heart was full of joy. I didn't know the President was going to say such great remarks." On April 13, 2011, the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health gave Mutombo the Goodermote Humanitarian Award "for his efforts to reduce polio globally as well as his work improving the health of neglected and underserved populations in the Democratic Republic of Congo."
Michael J. Klag Michael John Klag (born 1952) is an American internist and epidemiologist. For eight years, he was the Director of the Division of General Internal Medicine and was the first Vice Dean for Clinical Investigation at the Johns Hopkins School of Medi ...
, dean of the Bloomberg School of Public Health, said "Mr. Mutombo is a winner in many ways—on the court and as a humanitarian. His work has improved the health of the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital and Research Center is a model for the region. Likewise, Mr. Mutombo has been instrumental in the fight against polio by bolstering vaccination efforts and bringing treatment to victims of the disease." In 2012, the Mutombo Foundation, in partnership with Mutombo's alma mater, Georgetown University, began a new initiative that aims to provide care for visually impaired children from low-income families in the Washington, D.C. region. In 2020, the foundation began construction of a modern pre-K through 6th grade school. Named for his father, who died in 2003, it's the Samuel Mutombo Institute of Science & Entrepreneurship, located outside the city of Mbuji-Mayi in the Democratic Republic of Congo.


Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital

In 1997, the Mutombo Foundation began plans to open a $29 million, 300-bed hospital on the outskirts of his hometown, the Congolese capital of
Kinshasa Kinshasa (; ; ln, Kinsásá), formerly Léopoldville ( nl, Leopoldstad), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Once a site of fishing and trading villages situated along the Congo River, Kinshasa is now one o ...
. Ground was broken in 2001, but construction didn't start until 2004, as Mutombo had trouble getting donations early on although he personally donated $3.5 million toward the hospital's construction. Initially Mutombo had some other difficulties, almost losing the land to the government because it was not being used and having to pay refugees who had begun farming the land to leave. He also struggled to reassure some that he did not have any ulterior or political motives for the project. The project has been on the whole very well received at all social and economic levels in Kinshasa. On August 14, 2006, Mutombo donated $15 million to the completion of the hospital for its ceremonial opening on September 2, 2006. It was by then named Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, for his late mother, who died of a stroke in 1997. When it opened in 2007, the $29 million facility became the first modern medical facility to be built in that area in nearly 40 years. His hospital is on a site on the outskirts of Kinshasa in Masina, where about a quarter of the city's 7.5 million residents live in poverty. It is minutes from Kinshasa's airport and near a bustling open-air market.


National Constitution Center

Mutombo serves on the board of trustees of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, which is a museum dedicated to the U.S. Constitution.


SportsUnited

In 2011, Mutombo also traveled to South Sudan as a
SportsUnited Formerly known as SportsUnited, Sports Diplomacy is the U.S. Department of State's sports diplomacy division. Sports Diplomacy uses sport to help youth around the world develop important off-the-court skills, including leadership, mutual understan ...
sports envoy for the
U.S. Department of State The United States Department of State (DOS), or State Department, is an United States federal executive departments, executive department of the Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government responsible for the country's fore ...
. In this capacity, he worked with Sam Perkins to lead a series of basketball clinics and team-building exercises with 50 youth and 36 coaches. This helped contribute to the State Department's mission to remove barriers and create a world in which individuals with disabilities enjoy dignity and full inclusion in society.


Ask The Doctor

In April 2020, Dikembe Mutombo officially joined the team at Ask The Doctor as their chief global officer. Ask The Doctor is a platform that connects people from all over the world to top doctors and healthcare professionals.


Economic development and gender parity

In 2021, he created his eponymous coffee company, initially focused on the Congo, to foster women growers' participation in international commerce.Dikembe Mutombo's New Coffee Venture Aims to Make an Impact
'' Sports Illustrated'', Justin Barfrassoa, April 8, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2022.


Career summary and highlights

* 4-time NBA
Defensive Player of the Year Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY or DPOTY) is the name of an award given in sports for outstanding defensive play by a single player over the course of a season. Many sports leagues award this type of award. League awards for Defensive Player o ...
: 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001 * 8-time NBA All-Star: 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002 * 3-time
All-NBA The All-NBA Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor bestowed on the best players in the league following every NBA season. The voting is conducted by a global panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. The team has been sele ...
: ** Second Team: 2001 ** Third Team: 1998, 2002 * 6-time
All-Defensive The NBA All-Defensive Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1968–69 NBA season to the best defensive players during the regular season. The All-Defensive Team is generally composed of ten players in two ...
: ** First Team: 1997, 1998, 2001 ** Second Team: 1995, 1999, 2002 * NBA All-Rookie First Team: 1992 * 2nd in Career NBA Blocks: 3,256 * 2-time NBA regular-season leader, rebounding average: 2000 (14.1), 2001 (13.5) * 4-time NBA regular-season leader, total rebounds: 1995 (1029), 1997 (929), 1999 (610), 2000 (1157) * NBA regular-season leader, offensive rebounds: 2001 (307) * 2-time NBA regular-season leader, defensive rebounds: 1999 (418), 2000 (853) * 3-time NBA regular-season leader, blocked shots average: 1994 (4.1), 1995 (3.9), 1996 (4.5) * 5-time NBA regular-season leader, total blocks: 1994 (336), 1995 (321), 1996 (332), 1997 (264), 1998 (277) * Invited to be a special guest at 2007 President George W. Bush's State of the Union address; commended for his humanitarian aid to his homeland * Oldest player in NBA history to collect over 20 rebounds in a game (40 years old, March 2, 2007 vs. Denver Nuggets) * Retired NBA alumnus in Team Africa at the 2015 NBA Africa exhibition game. * Hall of Fame Class of 2015 * NCAA Silver Anniversary Award (Class of 2016) * No. 55 retired by the Atlanta Hawks (November 24, 2015) * No. 55 retired by the Denver Nuggets (October 29, 2016) *
Sager Strong Award The Sager Strong Award is an annual award given by the National Basketball Association. It is presented to "an individual who has been a trailblazer while exemplifying courage, faith, compassion, and grace." The award was created in 2017 to honor t ...
( June 25, 2018)


NBA career statistics


Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", 1991–92 , style="text-align:left;", Denver , 71 , , 71 , , 38.3 , , .493 , , .000 , , .642 , , 12.3 , , 2.2 , , .6 , , 3.0 , , 16.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",
1992–93 Year 199 ( CXCIX) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was sometimes known as year 952 ''Ab urbe condita''. The denomination 199 for this year has been used since th ...
, style="text-align:left;", Denver , 82 , , 82 , , 36.9 , , .510 , , .000 , , .681 , , 13.0 , , 1.8 , , .5 , , 3.5 , , 13.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1993–94 , style="text-align:left;", Denver , 82 , , 82 , , 34.8 , , .569 , , .000 , , .583 , , 11.8 , , 1.5 , , .7 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 4.1* , , 12.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1994–95 , style="text-align:left;", Denver , 82 , , 82 , , 37.8 , , .556 , , .000 , , .654 , , 12.5 , , 1.4 , , .5 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 3.9* , , 11.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1995–96 , style="text-align:left;", Denver , 74 , , 74 , , 36.7 , , .499 , , .000 , , .695 , , 11.8 , , 1.5 , , .5 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 4.5* , , 11.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1996–97 , style="text-align:left;", Atlanta , 80 , , 80 , , 37.2 , , .527 , , .000 , , .705 , , 11.6 , , 1.4 , , .6 , , 3.3 , , 13.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1997–98 , style="text-align:left;", Atlanta , 82 , , 82 , , 35.6 , , .537 , , .000 , , .670 , , 11.4 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , 3.4 , , 13.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1998–99 , style="text-align:left;", Atlanta , 50 , , 50 , , 36.6 , , .512 , , .000 , , .684 , , 12.2 , , 1.1 , , .3 , , 2.9 , , 10.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1999–00 , style="text-align:left;", Atlanta , 82 , , 82 , , 36.4 , , .562 , , .000 , , .708 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 14.1* , , 1.3 , , .3 , , 3.3 , , 11.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2000–01 , style="text-align:left;", Atlanta , 49 , , 49 , , 35.0 , , .477 , , .000 , , .695 , , 14.1 , , 1.1 , , .4 , , 2.8 , , 9.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2000–01 , style="text-align:left;", Philadelphia , 26 , , 26 , , 33.7 , , .495 , , .000 , , .759 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 12.4* , , .8 , , .3 , , 2.5 , , 11.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2001–02 , style="text-align:left;", Philadelphia , 80 , , 80 , , 36.3 , , .501 , , .000 , , .764 , , 10.8 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , 2.4 , , 11.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2002–03 , style="text-align:left;", New Jersey , 24 , , 16 , , 21.4 , , .374 , , .000 , , .727 , , 6.4 , , .8 , , .2 , , 1.5 , , 5.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2003–04 , style="text-align:left;",
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
, 65 , , 56 , , 23.0 , , .478 , , .000 , , .681 , , 6.7 , , .4 , , .3 , , 1.9 , , 5.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2004–05 , style="text-align:left;", Houston , 80 , , 2 , , 15.2 , , .498 , , .000 , , .741 , , 5.3 , , .1 , , .2 , , 1.3 , , 4.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2005–06 , style="text-align:left;", Houston , 64 , , 23 , , 14.9 , , .526 , , .000 , , .758 , , 4.8 , , .1 , , .3 , , .9 , , 2.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2006–07 , style="text-align:left;", Houston , 75 , , 33 , , 17.2 , , .556 , , .000 , , .690 , , 6.5 , , .2 , , .3 , , 1.0 , , 3.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2007–08 , style="text-align:left;", Houston , 39 , , 25 , , 15.9 , , .538 , , .000 , , .711 , , 5.1 , , .1 , , .3 , , 1.2 , , 3.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2008–09 , style="text-align:left;", Houston , 9 , , 2 , , 10.7 , , .385 , , .000 , , .667 , , 3.7 , , .0 , , .0 , , 1.2 , , 1.8 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 1196 , , 997 , , 30.8 , , .518 , , .000 , , .684 , , 10.3 , , 1.0 , , .4 , , 2.8 , , 9.8 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star , 8 , , 3 , , 17.5 , , .595 , , .000 , , .750 , , 9.3 , , .3 , , .4 , , 1.2 , , 6.3


Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;",
1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which Sinking of the MS Estonia, sank in ...
, style="text-align:left;", Denver , 12 , , 12 , , 42.6 , , .463 , , .000 , , .602 , , 12.0 , , 1.8 , , .7 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 5.8* , , 13.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",
1995 File:1995 Events Collage V2.png, From left, clockwise: O.J. Simpson is O. J. Simpson murder case, acquitted of the murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman from the 1994, year prior in "The Trial of the Century" in the United States; The ...
, style="text-align:left;", Denver , 3 , , 3 , , 28.0 , , .600 , , .000 , , .667 , , 6.3 , , .3 , , .0 , , 2.3 , , 6.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",
1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; ''Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of t ...
, style="text-align:left;", Atlanta , 10 , , 10 , , 41.5 , , style="background:#cfecec;", .628* , , .000 , , .719 , , 12.3 , , 1.3 , , .1 , , 2.6 , , 15.4 , - , style="text-align:left;",
1998 1998 was designated as the ''International Year of the Ocean''. Events January * January 6 – The '' Lunar Prospector'' spacecraft is launched into orbit around the Moon, and later finds evidence for frozen water, in soil in permanently ...
, style="text-align:left;", Atlanta , 4 , , 4 , , 34.0 , , .458 , , .000 , , .625 , , 12.8 , , .3 , , .3 , , 2.3 , , 8.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",
1999 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shootin ...
, style="text-align:left;", Atlanta , 9 , , 9 , , 42.2 , , .563 , , .000 , , .702 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 13.9* , , 1.2 , , .6 , , 2.6 , , 12.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a Participants in ...
, style="text-align:left;", Philadelphia , 23 , , 23 , , 42.7 , , .490 , , .000 , , .777 , , 13.7 , , .7 , , .7 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 3.1* , , 13.9 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2002 File:2002 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 2002 Winter Olympics are held in Salt Lake City; Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother and her daughter Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon die; East Timor gains East Timor independence, indepe ...
, style="text-align:left;", Philadelphia , 5 , , 5 , , 34.6 , , .452 , , .000 , , .615 , , 10.6 , , .6 , , .4 , , 1.8 , , 8.8 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2003 File:2003 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: The crew of STS-107 perished when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry into Earth's atmosphere; SARS became an epidemic in China, and was a precursor to SARS-CoV-2; A des ...
, style="text-align:left;", New Jersey , 10 , , 0 , , 11.5 , , .467 , , .000 , , 1.000 , , 2.7 , , .6 , , .3 , , .9 , , 1.8 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2004 2004 was designated as an International Year of Rice by the United Nations, and the International Year to Commemorate the Struggle Against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO). Events January * January 3 – Flash Airlines Flight 6 ...
, style="text-align:left;",
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
, 3 , , 0 , , 12.7 , , .333 , , .000 , , 1.000 , , 3.3 , , .0 , , .3 , , 1.3 , , 2.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; "Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discovered in ...
, style="text-align:left;", Houston , 7 , , 0 , , 14.4 , , .545 , , .000 , , .769 , , 5.0 , , .3 , , .3 , , 1.0 , , 3.1 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple's first iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakistani Prime Minister of Pakistan, Pr ...
, style="text-align:left;", Houston , 7 , , 0 , , 5.7 , , 1.000 , , .000 , , 1.000 , , 1.6 , , .1 , , .0 , , .4 , , 1.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2008 File:2008 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: Lehman Brothers went bankrupt following the Subprime mortgage crisis; Cyclone Nargis killed more than 138,000 in Myanmar; A scene from the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing; ...
, style="text-align:left;", Houston , 6 , , 6 , , 20.5 , , .615 , , .000 , , .636 , , 6.5 , , .3 , , .2 , , 1.8 , , 3.8 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2009 File:2009 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The vertical stabilizer of Air France Flight 447 is pulled out from the Atlantic Ocean; Barack Obama becomes the first African American to become President of the United States; 2009 Iran ...
, style="text-align:left;", Houston , 2 , , 0 , , 10.0 , , .000 , , .000 , , .000 , , 4.5 , , .0 , , .5 , , 1.0 , , .0 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 101 , , 72 , , 30.9 , , .517 , , .000 , , .703 , , 9.5 , , .8 , , .4 , , 2.5 , , 9.1


See also

* List of National Basketball Association career games played leaders * List of National Basketball Association career rebounding leaders * List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders *
List of National Basketball Association career playoff blocks leaders This article provides two lists: :A list of National Basketball Association players by total career playoff blocked shots recorded. :A progressive list of blocked shots leaders showing how the record increased through the years. Playoff blocked ...
* List of National Basketball Association annual rebounding leaders *
List of National Basketball Association players with most blocks in a game This is a complete list of National Basketball Association players who have block (basketball), blocked 10 or more shots in a game. 44 players have blocked 10 or more shots in a game. It has occurred 160 times (including the playoffs) in NBA histo ...


References


External links


NBA profile


at Basketball-Reference.com
"Charting damage by Dikembe"
at ESPN
Dikembe Mutombo Foundation

Dikembe Mutombo Profile
– ClutchFans.net (Houston Rocket Fan Site)

''Time'', April 20, 2003. {{DEFAULTSORT:Mutombo, Dikembe 1966 births Living people All-American college men's basketball players American men's basketball players Atlanta Hawks players Centers (basketball) Democratic Republic of the Congo emigrants to the United States Democratic Republic of the Congo expatriate basketball people in the United States Democratic Republic of the Congo men's basketball players Denver Nuggets draft picks Denver Nuggets players Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball players Houston Rockets players Luba people Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees National Basketball Association All-Stars National Basketball Association players from the Democratic Republic of the Congo National Basketball Association players with retired numbers New Jersey Nets players New York Knicks players Philadelphia 76ers players Sportspeople from Kinshasa