On a day meant to be filled with excitement and optimism for the NBA, with media days happening all over the league, those feelings were abruptly replaced with shock and grief upon the news that basketball icon Dikembe Mutombo had died.
The 58-year-old had been battling brain cancer, the NBA said on Monday when making the announcement.
Mutombo played 18 seasons in the NBA and is often regarded as one of the best defenders that league has ever seen. Between stints with the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets, he racked up four Defensive Player of the Year awards, tied for most all-time.
The native of Congo was also an eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA member, six-time All-Defence and three-time blocks leader. Many NBA fans still mimic his iconic finger-wag celebration, typically done after blocking a shot like Mutombo frequently did.
“That guy is a giant, incredible person. Who are we without Dikembe Mutombo … you have no idea what that guy means to the world, and he’s gone,” an emotional Raptors’ Masai Ujiri said on Monday while reacting to the news.
Here are reactions from around the league to the passing of Mutombo.
