NBA Hall-of-Famer Dikembe Mutombo dead at 58

[Jarkko]

https://www.france24.com/en/americas/202...es-aged-58

NBA defensive legend Dikembe Mutombo has passed away at the age of 58 from brain cancer. Known for his remarkable shot-blocking ability which propelled him to second all-time on the NBA's total block list (behind Hakeem Olajuwon), Mutombo was an 8-time All-Star, a four-time Defensive Player of the Year, and a six-time All-Defensive Team honoree. The Kinshasa native was elected to the NBA Hall of Fame in 2015, six years after he retired, and his number 55 is retired by his first two teams, the Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks, with whom he had most of his best seasons. 

He was well-liked by fans because of his cheeky "finger-wag" celebration and generally pleasant and fun-loving disposition. Off the court he was very active in humanitarian exploits, including various charities (one of which he himself founded) to help his native Democratic Republic of Congo, Special Olympics, SportsUnited, Basketball Without Borders, and Ask The Doctor; he had a hospital built, the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, just outside of Kinshasa, and a modern primary school, which he named after his father, outside the city of Mbuji-Mayi, which is the main city in the area of the Luba people, which is his ethnic group. He received numerous awards and two honorary doctorates for his charitable work.

A devout Baptist Christian, Mutombo is survived by his wife Rose, son Ryan and two other biological children, and four adopted children.

Rest in peace, brother.

[The Last Outlaw]

One of the greats.

Gone too soon.

Farewell, Dikembe Mutombo.

Thanks for the memories, the blocks and most of all, that Finger Wag! ("No No No!")

Rest in Eternal Peace, Big Fella!

[Kyng]

RIP, Dikembe Mutombo . A legend of his sport, gone well before his time.

My condolences to his friends and family.

[Jarkko]

There was actually a piece on Le Journal Afrique on TV5 yesterday about the hospital he founded just outside of Kinshasa.