Dikembe Mutombo, a famous American professional basketball player, died on September 30 at 58. Every fan becomes sad after hearing the news of the death of one of the most incredible basketball players of all time. Dikembe made a huge name by giving extraordinary performances for his team in Basketball. It will be tough to go through Mutombo’s whole career as a basketball player. This article will cover some of the important moments in Dikembe’s life.
Early Age of Dikembe Mutombo
Embed from Getty ImagesOn June 25 1966, Dikembe Mutombo was born in the Republic of Cango. Dikembe has nine siblings, and his father was associated with an educational background. Because of his father’s academic background, Dikembe also got the best education. Therefore, he has an excellent grasp of many European languages like English, French, and Spanish.
Dikembe Mutombo: Start of Basketball career
Embed from Getty ImagesAfter finishing his schooling, Dikembe joined Georgetown University, where he wanted to become a doctor. His brilliance was good enough to make him a brilliant doctor, but his Basketball coach turned his life path towards playing Basketball.
In 1990, due to their excellent basketball skills, Dikembe was named East Defensive Player of the Year twice. After getting this title, Dikembe becomes so popular as getting a Basketball career seriously. After this performance, Dikembe’s professional career started as a basketball player.
NBA Selection
Embed from Getty ImagesIn 1991, the Denver Nuggets selected Dikembe in the NBA draft, which opened the door for him to become one of the best in this league. However, the Nuggets’ performance was not that satisfactory. But Dikembe made an immediate impression on people’s eyes after his majestic skills and performances.
After the first season, in 1992, Dikembe showed more great performances and developed unique skills. These skills made him famous all over the world. Because of these performances and skills, Dikembe received many marketing offers and brand endorsements.
Defensive player of the year
Embed from Getty ImagesAfter giving excellent performances, Dikembe’s skills became dull because he did not get quality support from the other end. But he kept working and eventually won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award at the end of that season.
In 1995-96, he became a free agent and signed a 10-year contract with his previous team, Nuggets. But this deal did not close, and Bernie Bickerstaff, manager of Nuggest at the time, considered that incident one of the biggest regrets of his life.
Therefore, Dikembe signed a five-year contract with the Atlanta Hawks worth $55 million. After joining Atlanta, Dikembe won NBA Defensive Player of the Year twice, which made his name more popular around the NBA world.
Career Achievements
Embed from Getty ImagesOn April 23, 2009, Dikembe announced his retirement as a Basketball player, which was a very tough day for his fans worldwide. In his 18-year career, Dikembe achieved many successes, which made him one of the significant figures of the NBA.
In 2016, the Atlanta Hawks retired jersey number 55 of Dikembe, and his first-ever NBA team, Nuggest, did the same by retiring his jersey the same year. Dikembe was also named to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, one of the most prestigious awards in Basketball, in 2015. In 2018, Dikembe received the Sager Strong Award, the 2nd award of the NBA, which started in 2017.
Social works
Embed from Getty ImagesAfter retirement, Dikembe did not limit himself to his Basketball career. He took part heavily in social work, like working for the betterment of his native country. In 1997, he started the Mutombo Foundation, which helped many needy people in his hometown. This showed his great gesture towards Humanity. Therefore, Dikembe will always be remembered as one of the great NBA players and human beings.
