Atlanta Hawks and NBA a legend Dikembe Mutombo has passed away at the age of 58 after a battle with brain cancer.
Back in 2022 Mutombo announced that he would be undergoing treatment in Atlanta and since then, he's been noticeably absent form his previously public life.
Mutombo played for the Atlanta Hawks for 5 seasons from 1996 to 2001. He is an NBA Hall of Famer, he made eight All-Star teams, and he was named Defensive Player of the Year four times in his career.
Mutombo was widely known as a humanitarian. Speaking 9 languages, he was this first NBA's first Global Ambassador and he worked particularly to help develop the Basketball Africa League.
Mutombo founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, concentrating on improving health, education and quality of life for his people back home in the Congo. His foundation led to the building of a 170-bed hospital in the capital city of Kinshasa. This facility has treated nearly a half-million people regardless of their ability to pay for care.
He also served on the boards of many organizations, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.
Hawks principal owner Tony Ressler said this in a statement:
"We are deeply saddened by the news of Dikembe Mutombo's passing.
Dikembe was a proud and honorable man, who lived up to the definition of a word that became synonymous with his name – humanitarian. He used his many gifts and his platform to improve the lives of everyone he encountered, especially in his homeland of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and throughout Africa.
His passion for the game, its growth and the joy he brought to defense – including his undeniable presence and iconic 'finger wag' – made him a star on the court and with the fans around the globe.
I was fortunate to have been able to call him a friend. My family and I were beyond proud to have him represent the Hawks organization on and off the court. With his jersey in the rafters, his life and legacy will always be remembered in Atlanta.
On behalf of the entire Hawks organization, our thoughts, prayers and support are with Rose and their family at this difficult time."
