{{distinguish|Ray Alan|Allan Ray}}{{otherpeople2|Raymond Allen}}{{pp-semi-vandalism|expiry=April 17, 2010|small=yes}}{{distinguish|Ray Alan|Allan Ray}}{{otherpeople2|Raymond Allen}}{{pp-semi-vandalism|expiry=April 17, 2010|small=yes}}
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo (born June 25, 1966), commonly referred to as
Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired
Congolese AmericanCongolese Americans are Americans of descent from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Republic of the Congo. Many have come because of war....
professional
basketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of 5 players try to score points against one another by placing a ball through a
10 foot high hoop under organized rules...
player last playing for the
Houston RocketsThe Houston Rockets is an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
of the
NBAThe National Basketball Association is a professional basketball league, composed of thirty teams in North America . It is an active member of USA Basketball , which is recognized by the International Basketball Federation as the National Governing Body for basketball in the United States...
. He was the oldest player in the NBA at the time of his most recent season.
The {{height|ft=7|in=2|wiki=yes|adj=on}}, {{convert|260|lb|kg st|wiki=yes|adj=on}}
centerThe center, colloquially known as the five or the pivot, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
is generally regarded as one of the greatest
shot blockersIn basketball, a block occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a shot from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot is traveling upward...
and defensive players of all time, winning the
NBA Defensive Player of the Year AwardThe National Basketball Association's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1982–83 NBA season, to the top defensive player of the regular season...
four times. On January 10, 2007, he surpassed
Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar is an American retired basketball player. During his 20-year professional career in the NBA, from 1969 to 1989, he scored the highest points total of any player in league history , in addition to winning a record six Most Valuable Player Awards and six NBA championships...
as the second most prolific shot blocker in NBA history, behind only
Hakeem OlajuwonHakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led to Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995...
. He is a member of the
Luba ethnic groupThe Luba are one of the Bantu peoples of Central Africa. They are native to the Katanga, Kasai, and Maniema regions which are contained as a semi-autonomous regions of present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo...
and speaks
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
,
FrenchFrench is a Romance language globally spoken by about 65 million people as a first language , by 50 million as a second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired foreign language, with significant speakers in 57 countries. Most native speakers of the language live in France,...
,
SpanishSpanish or Castilian is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that originated in northern Spain and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile, evolving into the principal language of government and trade in the Iberian peninsula...
,
PortuguesePortuguese is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia and northern Portugal. It is derived from the Latin spoken by the romanized Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula around 2000 years ago...
and five African languages. In the second game of the first round of the 2009 NBA playoffs, Mutombo suffered a knee injury that would keep him out for the remainder of the post-season. Soon after the injury, Mutombo announced he had played his last games in the NBA.
Georgetown University
Mutombo originally intended to become a doctor; he attended
Georgetown UniversityGeorgetown University is a Jesuit private university located in Georgetown, Washington, D.C. Father John Carroll founded the school in 1789, though its roots extend back to 1634. While the school struggled financially in its early years, Georgetown expanded into a branched university after the...
on a
USAIDThe United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government organization responsible for most non-military foreign aid...
scholarship.
Georgetown HoyasThe Georgetown Hoyas are the athletics teams that officially represent Georgetown University in college sports. The school is located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. and was founded in 1789...
basketball coach
John ThompsonJohn R. Thompson, Jr. is an American former basketball coach for the Georgetown University Hoyas. He is now a professional radio and TV sports commentator...
recruited him to play basketball. He spoke almost no English when he arrived at Georgetown and studied in their ESL program. He became an excellent college
centerThe center, colloquially known as the five or the pivot, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
, continuing Georgetown's tradition of producing great big men. He was a celebrated shot blocker at Georgetown, setting a team record of twelve blocked shots in a single game. Building on the shot-blocking power of Mutombo and teammate
Alonzo MourningAlonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. is a retired American professional basketball player, who played most of his 16-year NBA career for the Miami Heat....
, 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.
While 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 BankThe World Bank is an international financial institution that provides leveraged loans to poorer countries for capital programs, tied to neoliberal market restructurings...
. In 1991 he graduated with a
B.A.Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences or both....
in
linguisticsLinguistics is the scientific study of natural language. Linguistics encompasses a number of sub-fields. An important topical division is between the study of language structure and the study of meaning...
and
diplomacyDiplomacy is the art and practice of conducting negotiations between representatives of groups or states. It usually refers to international diplomacy, the conduct of international relations through the intercession of professional diplomats with regard to issues of peace-making, trade, war,...
.
Dikembe Mutombo was a celebrated superstar in his native country of Zaire (now the
Democratic Republic of the CongoThe Democratic Republic of the Congo is a country located in Central Africa, with a small length of Atlantic coastline. It is the third largest country in Africa...
), and was scouted by Jarryd Halberstadt. He attended a
Salvation ArmyThe Salvation Army, an international movement, describes itself as an armed evangelical movement part of the Christian Church. It has a quasi-military structure and was founded in 1865 in the United Kingdom as the East London Christian Liberation Mission by William and Catherine Booth. It is well...
school from 6th to 11th grade.
Denver Nuggets
Selected fourth overall by the
Denver NuggetsThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
in the
1991 NBA DraftThe 1991 NBA Draft took place on June 26, 1991 in New York City, New York. Three of the top 12 picks were from UNLV. As of 2008, two players are deceased...
, Mutombo's impact was immediate. As a rookie, he was selected for the All-Star team by averaging 16.6 points, 12.3 rebounds, and nearly three blocks per game. A cornerstone in the Nuggets' frontcourt, Dikembe became one of the league's best defensive players, regularly putting up big rebound and block numbers for five years with the club while averaging 11 or so points a game. The team lacked other great players to team up with him, however, and at its best won only 42 games. In Mutombo's third season, however, Denver pulled off a major
playoff upsetThe 1994 NBA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the National Basketball Association's 1993-1994 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Conference champion Houston Rockets defeating the Eastern Conference champion New York Knicks four games to three in the NBA Finals...
by stunning the top-seeded
Seattle SuperSonicsThe Seattle SuperSonics were an American professional basketball team based in Seattle, Washington that played in the Pacific and Northwest Divisions of the National Basketball Association from 1967 until 2008. Following the 2007–08 season, the team relocated to Oklahoma City, and now plays as...
in the first round, the first eighth seed to win an NBA playoff series, in which at the end of Game 5, Mutombo fell to the ground, holding the ball over his head in a moment of joy. Mutombo's defensive presence was the key to this upset victory. His total of 31 blocks remains a record for a five-game series. The following season, he received the
NBA Defensive Player of the Year AwardThe National Basketball Association's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1982–83 NBA season, to the top defensive player of the regular season...
.
Atlanta Hawks
After the 1995–96 NBA season, Mutombo's contract with the Nuggets expired, and he signed a
free agentIn professional sports, a free agent is a player, whose contract with a team has expired, who's eligible to sign with another franchise. The term came into wide use in North America after sports leagues stopped using a "reserve clause" after much acrimonious collective bargaining, which provided a...
contract with the
Atlanta HawksThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Hawks are coached by Mike Woodson, who is in his fifth season at the helm.-The first years:The...
. Mutombo continued to put up excellent defensive numbers with his new team. Joining the Hawks made him more noticeable, helping him win two more Defensive Player of the Year awards and several All-Defensive Team selections. He also became fairly well known for his signature finger waggle, which he would point at a player's direction after he had blocked that player's shot. During the
lockoutA lockout is a work stoppage in which an employer prevents employees from working. This is different from a strike, in which employees refuse to work.- Causes :...
-shortened 1999 season, he was the NBA's IBM Award winner, a player of the year award determined by a computerized formula.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Hawks traded Mutombo to the Eastern Conference-leading
Philadelphia 76ersThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association .-Syracuse Nationals:...
in February 2001 for their injured center
Theo RatliffTheophilus Curtis Ratliff , better known as Theo Ratliff, is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the NBA's San Antonio Spurs. He primarily plays the center position, and is known as an excellent shot-blocker...
as the Sixers needed a replacement stellar big man to compete with Western Conference powers
Tim DuncanTimothy "Tim" Theodore Duncan is a Virgin Islander American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association...
or
Shaquille O'NealShaquille Rashaun O'Neal , frequently referred to simply as "Shaq", is an American professional basketball player, rapper, and actor. He is widely perceived as one of the most dominant players in the history of the NBA. Standing at 7 feet 1 inch, 325 pounds, he is one of the largest players to...
should they reach the finals. He earned his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award that season and was in the prime of his career. That season he also earned a trip to the
NBA FinalsThe 2001 NBA Finals was the championship round of the 2000-01 National Basketball Association season. The Los Angeles Lakers of the Western Conference took on the Philadelphia 76ers of the Eastern Conference for the title, with the Lakers holding home court advantage in a best-of-seven format.The...
, where the 76ers lost to the
Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association team based in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers play their home games at Staples Center, which they share with their fellow NBA rival, the Los Angeles Clippers, and their sister team, the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA...
four games to one. A free-agent, he re-signed with the Sixers after the season. While his statistics were comparable in the 2001–02 season, the Sixers dealt him to the
New Jersey NetsThe New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team in the National Basketball Association that plays in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They are currently based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and play their home games at the Izod Center...
, fearing that his game had deteriorated.
New Jersey Nets
The Nets were looking for a more physical big man to compete with
Shaquille O'NealShaquille Rashaun O'Neal , frequently referred to simply as "Shaq", is an American professional basketball player, rapper, and actor. He is widely perceived as one of the most dominant players in the history of the NBA. Standing at 7 feet 1 inch, 325 pounds, he is one of the largest players to...
and
Tim DuncanTimothy "Tim" Theodore Duncan is a Virgin Islander American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association...
, two of the best big men in the league who also led championship-caliber teams in the West. Unfortunately, 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.
New York Knicks
In October 2003, the Nets bought out the remainder of his contract and subsequently waived him. He signed a two-year deal with the
New York KnicksThe New York Knickerbockers, known familiarly as the Knicks, are a professional National Basketball Association team based in New York City, and the most valuable franchise in the league, valued at $608 million...
a few days later. The Knicks later traded him to the
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
in a package for
Jamal CrawfordAaron Jamal Crawford is an American professional basketball player who plays with the NBA's Atlanta Hawks.He is a 6'5" and 200 lb shooting guard/point guard.- High school and college :...
. He never played a game for the Bulls and they dealt him to the
Houston RocketsThe Houston Rockets is an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
in the 2004 offseason.
Houston Rockets
Mutombo most recently played as a reserve behind
Yao MingYao Ming is a professional basketball player who plays for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association...
, forming one of the NBA's most productive center combos. In his first season with the Rockets (2004–05), Mutombo averaged 15.2 MPG, 5.3 RPG, and 4.0 PPG. However, despite the stellar play of
Tracy McGradyTracy Lamar McGrady, Jr., is an American professional basketball player, currently playing at shooting guard for the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association...
, the Rockets lost in the first round against the Dallas Mavericks. In the 2007–08 season, Mutombo yet again received extensive playing time when Yao went down with a broken bone, and averaged double digits in rebounding as a starter. The additional playing time gave Mutombo the opportunity to continue accruing blocked shots at a record-setting pace. On January 10, 2008, in a 102–77 rout of the
Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association team based in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers play their home games at Staples Center, which they share with their fellow NBA rival, the Los Angeles Clippers, and their sister team, the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA...
, Mutombo recorded 5 blocked shots and surpassed
Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar is an American retired basketball player. During his 20-year professional career in the NBA, from 1969 to 1989, he scored the highest points total of any player in league history , in addition to winning a record six Most Valuable Player Awards and six NBA championships...
in total career blocked shots. Mutombo is currently second only to
Hakeem OlajuwonHakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led to Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995...
. Also, on March 2, 2007, in a win over the
Denver NuggetsThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, at the age of 41, Mutombo became the oldest player in NBA history to record more than 20 rebounds in a game with 22. After contemplating retirement and spending the first part of 2008 as an unsigned unrestricted free agent, on December 31, 2008, Mutombo signed with the Houston Rockets for the remainder of the 2008–2009 season. He said that the 2009 season would be his "farewell tour" and his last.
In Game 1 of Houston's first round playoff series against
PortlandThe Portland Trail Blazers, commonly known as the Blazers, are an American professional basketball team based in Portland, Oregon. They play in the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Basketball Association . The Trail Blazers originally played their home games in the...
, 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.{{Dead link|date=October 2009}} Mutumbo announced retirement on April 23, 2009, after 18 seasons of playing basketball.
Player profile
The {{convert|7|ft|2|in|m|abbr=on}} {{convert|260|lb|abbr=on}}, Mutombo plays
centerThe center, colloquially known as the five or the pivot, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
, where he is regarded as one of the top post defenders of all time. His combination of height, power and long arms have led to a record tying four NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards, a feat equaled only by
Ben WallaceBen Camey Wallace is an American basketball player. He currently plays in the National Basketball Association with the Detroit Pistons. Nicknamed "Big Ben", he plays the center and power forward positions, and is listed at and . He has won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award four times, a...
. Staples of Mutombo's defensive prowess are his outstanding shot-blocking and rebounding power: for his career, he averages 2.9 blocks and 10.8 rebounds per game. He is second all-time in registered blocks, behind only
Hakeem OlajuwonHakeem Abdul Olajuwon is a retired Nigerian American professional basketball player. From 1984 to 2002, he played in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Houston Rockets and Toronto Raptors. He led to Rockets to back-to-back NBA championships in 1994 and 1995...
, and is the 21st most prolific rebounder ever. He is 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 could contribute 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 would reproach 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 after a block, which is not considered taunting by rules. In addition, his flailing elbows are known for injuring several NBA players, including
Michael JordanMichael Jeffrey Jordan is a retired American professional basketball player and active businessman. His biography on the National Basketball Association website states, "By acclamation, Michael Jordan is the greatest basketball player of all time." Jordan was one of the most effectively marketed...
,
Dennis RodmanDennis Keith Rodman is an American retired professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association's Detroit Pistons, San Antonio Spurs, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks. Born in Trenton, New Jersey, he was nicknamed "Dennis the Menace" and "The Worm" and was...
,
Charles OakleyCharles Oakley is an American retired professional basketball player who played power forward in the National Basketball Association as a member of the Chicago Bulls, New York Knicks, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards and Houston Rockets.-Playing career:Oakley was born in Cleveland, Ohio...
,
Patrick EwingPatrick Aloysius Ewing is an American retired Hall of Fame basketball player and current assistant coach for the National Basketball Association's Orlando Magic. He played most of his career with the NBA's New York Knicks as their starting center and played briefly with the Seattle SuperSonics...
,
Chauncey BillupsChauncey Ray Billups is an American professional basketball player. He is a point guard for the Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association. Billups won the NBA Finals MVP in 2004, helping the Detroit Pistons beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the Finals, and was given the nickname "Mr...
,
Ray Allen{{distinguish|Ray Alan|Allan Ray}}{{otherpeople2|Raymond Allen}}{{pp-semi-vandalism|expiry=April 17, 2010|small=yes}}{{distinguish|Ray Alan|Allan Ray}}{{otherpeople2|Raymond Allen}}{{pp-semi-vandalism|expiry=April 17, 2010|small=yes}}{{infobox NBA Player...
,
Yao MingYao Ming is a professional basketball player who plays for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association...
,
LeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James," he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar...
and
Tracy McGradyTracy Lamar McGrady, Jr., is an American professional basketball player, currently playing at shooting guard for the Houston Rockets in the National Basketball Association...
. His teammate
Yao MingYao Ming is a professional basketball player who plays for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association...
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."{{Dead link|date=October 2009}}
Personal life
Mutombo and his wife Rose have six children, four adopted.
Multilingual by both upbringing and education, Mutombo is able to speak
EnglishEnglish is a West Germanic language that developed in England during the Anglo-Saxon era. As a result of the military, economic, scientific, political, and cultural influence of the British Empire during the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries, and of the United States since the mid 20th century,...
,
FrenchFrench is a Romance language globally spoken by about 65 million people as a first language , by 50 million as a second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired foreign language, with significant speakers in 57 countries. Most native speakers of the language live in France,...
,
SpanishSpanish or Castilian is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that originated in northern Spain and gradually spread in the Kingdom of Castile, evolving into the principal language of government and trade in the Iberian peninsula...
,
PortuguesePortuguese is a Romance language that originated in what is now Galicia and northern Portugal. It is derived from the Latin spoken by the romanized Pre-Roman peoples of the Iberian Peninsula around 2000 years ago...
and five African languages.
He was awarded an honorary
Doctor of Humane LettersThe degree of Doctor of Humane Letters is always conferred as an honorary degree, usually to those who have distinguished themselves in areas other than science , government , literature or religion The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters is always conferred as an honorary...
by the State University of New York College at Cortland for his humanitarian work in Africa.
Mutombo's nephew Harouna Mutombo plays college basketball for the
Western Carolina CatamountsThe Western Carolina Catamounts and Lady Catamounts are the athletic teams of Western Carolina University. The Catamounts compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Southern Conference. Western fields fourteen varsity sports teams...
. Harouna was the team's leading scorer for the 2009 season and was named
Southern ConferenceThe Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
Freshman of the Year.
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 AwardThe J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1974–75 NBA season to a player, coach, or trainer who shows "outstanding service and dedication to the community"...
in 2001 and 2009. For his feats,
The Sporting NewsSporting News is an American-based sports magazine. It was established in 1886, and it became the dominant American publication covering baseball — so much so that it acquired the nickname "The Bible of Baseball"...
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 also participated in the
Basketball Without Borders NBA program, where NBA stars like
Shawn BradleyShawn Paul Bradley is a retired American and German basketball player who played center for the Philadelphia 76ers, the New Jersey Nets and the Dallas Mavericks...
,
Malik RoseMalik Jabari Rose is an American professional basketball player with the Oklahoma City Thunder of the NBA....
and
DeSagana DiopDeSagana N'gagne Diop is a Senegalese professional basketball player who currently plays for the NBA's Charlotte Bobcats. Standing seven feet tall and weighing 280 lbs...
toured Africa to spread the word about basketball and to improve the infrastructure. He also 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 (relief)CARE is one of the largest international relief and humanitarian organizations in the world, with programs in nearly 70 countries. CARE International secretariat is in Geneva, Switzerland...
and is the first Youth Emissary for the United Nations Development Program.
In honor of his humanitarianism, Mutombo was invited to President
George W. BushGeorge Walker Bush was the 43rd President of the United States from 2001 to 2009 and the 46th Governor of Texas from 1995 to 2000....
's
2007 State of the Union AddressThe 2007 State of the Union Address was a speech given by United States President George W. Bush on Tuesday, January 23, 2007. The President was introduced at 21:09 Eastern Standard Time and began speaking at 21:13 EST...
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."
Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital
In 1997, Mutombo with the Mutombo Foundation began plans to open a $29 million, 300-bed hospital on the outskirts of his hometown, the Congolese capital of
Kinshasa{{clear}}{{clear}}{{clear}}{{clear}}{{clear}}{{clear}}{{Infobox settlement|name = Kinshasa|official_name =|other_name = formerly Léopoldville or Leopoldstad...
. Ground was broken in 2001, but construction didn't start until 2004, as Mutombo had trouble getting donations early on although Mutombo 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. However, the project has been on the whole very well received at all social and economic levels in Kinshasa.
On August 14, 2006, Dikembe had donated $15 million to the completion of the hospital for its ceremonial opening on September 2, 2006. The hospital was by then named Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, named for his late mother, who died of a stroke in 1997.{{Dead link|date=October 2009}}
When it opened in February 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 {{convert|12|acre|m2|adj=on}} 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. The hospital has full
telemedicine.Telemedicine is a rapidly developing application of clinical medicine where medical information is transferred through the phone or the Internet and sometimes other networks for the purpose of consulting, and sometimes remote medical procedures or examinations.Telemedicine may be as simple as two...
capabilities with the United States and Europe through the network established by
Medical Missions for ChildrenMedical Missions for Children is an independent, non-profit organization that works to improve health outcomes of the world's critically ill children by providing individual telemedicine consultations and implementing education programs focused on narrowing the knowledge gap between healthcare...
.
Career summary and highlights
- 4-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year
The National Basketball Association's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association award given since the 1982–83 NBA season, to the top defensive player of the regular season...
: 1995, 1997, 1998, 2001
- 8-time NBA All-Star: 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2002
- 3-time All-NBA:
- Second Team: 2001
- Third Team: 1998, 2002
- 6-time All-Defensive:
- First Team: 1997, 1998, 2001
- Second Team: 1995, 1999, 2002
- NBA All-Rookie First Team: 1992
- 2nd on All-Time NBA recorded 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)
- Career averages (as of March 2008): 9.9 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 2.7 BPG
- Invited to be a special guest at 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 (March 2 2007 vs. Denver Nuggets)
Regular season
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| align="left" | 1991–92
| align="left" |
DenverThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
| 71 || 71 ||
38.3 || .493 || .000 || .642 || 12.3 ||
2.2 || .6 || 3.0 ||
16.6
|-
| align="left" | 1992–93
| align="left" |
DenverThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
|
82 ||
82 || 36.9 || .510 || .000 || .681 || 13.0 || 1.8 || .5 || 3.5 || 13.8
|-
| align="left" | 1993–94
| align="left" |
DenverThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
|
82 ||
82 || 34.8 ||
.569 || .000 || .583 || 11.8 || 1.5 ||
.7 || 4.1 || 12.0
|-
| align="left" | 1994–95
| align="left" |
DenverThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
|
82 ||
82 || 37.8 || .556 || .000 || .654 || 12.5 || 1.4 || .5 || 3.9 || 11.5
|-
| align="left" | 1995–96
| align="left" |
DenverThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
| 74 || 74 || 36.7 || .499 || .000 || .695 || 11.8 || 1.5 || .5 ||
4.5 || 11.0
|-
| align="left" | 1996–97
| align="left" |
AtlantaThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Hawks are coached by Mike Woodson, who is in his fifth season at the helm.-The first years:The...
| 80 || 80 || 37.2 || .527 || .000 || .705 || 11.6 || 1.4 || .6 || 3.3 || 13.3
|-
| align="left" | 1997–98
| align="left" |
AtlantaThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Hawks are coached by Mike Woodson, who is in his fifth season at the helm.-The first years:The...
|
82 ||
82 || 35.6 || .537 || .000 || .670 || 11.4 || 1.0 || .4 || 3.4 || 13.4
|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" |
AtlantaThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Hawks are coached by Mike Woodson, who is in his fifth season at the helm.-The first years:The...
| 50 || 50 || 36.6 || .512 || .000 || .684 || 12.2 || 1.1 || .3 || 2.9 || 10.8
|-
| align="left" | 1999–00
| align="left" |
AtlantaThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Hawks are coached by Mike Woodson, who is in his fifth season at the helm.-The first years:The...
|
82 ||
82 || 36.4 || .562 || .000 || .708 ||
14.1 || 1.3 || .3 || 3.3 || 11.5
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" |
AtlantaThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Hawks are coached by Mike Woodson, who is in his fifth season at the helm.-The first years:The...
| 49 || 49 || 35.0 || .477 || .000 || .695 ||
14.1 || 1.1 || .4 || 2.8 || 9.1
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" |
PhiladelphiaThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association .-Syracuse Nationals:...
| 26 || 26 || 33.7 || .495 || .000 || .759 || 12.4 || .8 || .3 || 2.5 || 11.7
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" |
PhiladelphiaThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association .-Syracuse Nationals:...
| 80 || 80 || 36.3 || .501 || .000 ||
.764 || 10.8 || 1.0 || .4 || 2.4 || 11.5
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" |
New JerseyThe New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team in the National Basketball Association that plays in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They are currently based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and play their home games at the Izod Center...
| 24 || 16 || 21.4 || .374 || .000 || .727 || 6.4 || .8 || .2 || 1.5 || 5.8
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" |
New YorkThe New York Knickerbockers, known familiarly as the Knicks, are a professional National Basketball Association team based in New York City, and the most valuable franchise in the league, valued at $608 million...
| 65 || 56 || 23.0 || .478 || .000 || .681 || 6.7 || .4 || .3 || 1.9 || 5.6
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" |
HoustonThe Houston Rockets is an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
| 80 || 2 || 15.2 || .498 || .000 || .741 || 5.3 || .1 || .2 || 1.3 || 4.0
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" |
HoustonThe Houston Rockets is an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
| 64 || 23 || 14.9 || .526 || .000 || .758 || 4.8 || .1 || .3 || .9 || 2.6
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" |
HoustonThe Houston Rockets is an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
| 75 || 33 || 17.2 || .556 || .000 || .690 || 6.5 || .2 || .3 || 1.0 || 3.1
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" |
HoustonThe Houston Rockets is an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
| 39 || 25 || 15.9 || .538 || .000 || .711 || 5.1 || .1 || .3 || 1.2 || 3.0
|-
| align="left" |
2008–09The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| align="left" |
HoustonThe Houston Rockets is an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
| 9 || 2 || 10.7 || .385 || .000 || .667 || 3.7 || .0 || .0 || 1.2 || 1.8
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 1196 || 997 || 30.8 || .518 || .000 || .684 || 10.3 || 1.0 || .4 || 2.8 || 9.8
|-
| align="left" | All-Star
| align="left" |
| 8 || 3 || 17.5 || .595 || .000 || .750 || 9.3 || .3 || .4 || 1.2 || 6.3
{{end box}}
Playoffs
{{NBA player statistics start}}
|-
| align="left" | 1993–94
| align="left" |
DenverThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
| 12 || 12 || 42.6 || .463 || .000 || .602 || 12.0 ||
1.8 ||
.7 ||
5.8 || 13.3
|-
| align="left" | 1994–95
| align="left" |
DenverThe Denver Nuggets are a professional basketball team based in Denver, Colorado. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
| 3 || 3 || 28.0 || .600 || .000 || .667 || 6.3 || .3 || .0 || 2.3 || 6.0
|-
| align="left" | 1996–97
| align="left" |
AtlantaThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Hawks are coached by Mike Woodson, who is in his fifth season at the helm.-The first years:The...
| 10 || 10 || 41.5 || .628 || .000 || .719 || 12.3 || 1.3 || .1 || 2.6 ||
15.4
|-
| align="left" | 1997–98
| align="left" |
AtlantaThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Hawks are coached by Mike Woodson, who is in his fifth season at the helm.-The first years:The...
| 4 || 4 || 34.0 || .458 || .000 || .625 || 12.8 || .3 || .2 || 2.2 || 8.0
|-
| align="left" | 1998–99
| align="left" |
AtlantaThe Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are part of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The Hawks are coached by Mike Woodson, who is in his fifth season at the helm.-The first years:The...
| 9 || 9 || 42.2 || .563 || .000 || .702 ||
13.9 || 1.2 || .6 || 2.6 || 12.6
|-
| align="left" | 2000–01
| align="left" |
PhiladelphiaThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association .-Syracuse Nationals:...
|
23 ||
23 ||
42.7 || .490 || .000 || .777 || 13.7 || .7 || .6 || 3.1 || 13.9
|-
| align="left" | 2001–02
| align="left" |
PhiladelphiaThe Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association .-Syracuse Nationals:...
| 5 || 5 || 34.6 || .452 || .000 || .615 || 10.6 || .6 || .4 || 1.8 || 8.8
|-
| align="left" | 2002–03
| align="left" |
New JerseyThe New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team in the National Basketball Association that plays in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They are currently based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and play their home games at the Izod Center...
| 10 || 0 || 11.5 || .467 || .000 ||
1.000 || 2.7 || .6 || .3 || .9 || 1.8
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" |
New YorkThe New York Knickerbockers, known familiarly as the Knicks, are a professional National Basketball Association team based in New York City, and the most valuable franchise in the league, valued at $608 million...
| 3 || 0 || 12.7 || .333 || .000 ||
1.000 || 3.3 || .0 || .3 || 1.3 || 2.3
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" |
HoustonThe Houston Rockets is an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
| 7 || 0 || 14.4 || .545 || .000 || .769 || 5.0 || .3 || .3 || 1.0 || 3.1
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" |
HoustonThe Houston Rockets is an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
| 7 || 0 || 5.7 ||
1.000 || .000 ||
1.000 || 1.6 || .1 || .0 || .4 || 1.3
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" |
HoustonThe Houston Rockets is an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
| 6 || 6 || 20.5 || .615 || .000 || .636 || 6.5 || .3 || .2 || 1.8 || 3.8
|-
| align="left" |
2008–09The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| align="left" |
HoustonThe Houston Rockets is an American professional basketball team based in Houston, Texas. The team plays in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1967, and played in San Diego, California for four years, before being...
| 2 || 0 || 10.0 || .000 || .000 || .000 || 4.5 || .0 || .5 || 1.0 || .0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 101 || 72 || 30.9 || .517 || .000 || .703 || 9.5 || .8 || .4 || 2.5 || 9.1
{{end box}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
{{Navboxes|list1=
{{NBA Defensive Players of the Year}}
{{J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award}}
{{1991 NBA Draft}}
{{Denver Nuggets}}
{{Philadelphia 76ers}}
}}
{{Persondata
|NAME = Mutombo, Dikembe
|ALTERNATIVE NAMES = Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo (full name)
|SHORT DESCRIPTION = Congolese-American basketball player
|DATE OF BIRTH = June 25, 1966
|PLACE OF BIRTH = Kinshasa, Congo
|DATE OF DEATH =
|PLACE OF DEATH =
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mutombo, Dikembe}}