Dikembe Mutombo was the kind of athlete everyone should aspire to be.
Not only that, but he represented everything human beings can be if they are generous and loving in their heart.
Mutombo was a legendary athlete on the court. Hailing from Congo and playing college basketball at Georgetown for legendary coach John Thompson, earned incredible accolades as soon as he entered the basketball scene.
When he was selected by the Atlanta Hawks with the fourth pick in the 1991 NBA Draft, Mutombo had already embarked on legendary status.
Get off the sidelines and into the game
Our weekly newsletter is packed with everything from locker room chatter to pressing LGBTQ sports issues.
Over the next two decades, playing for six different NBA teams, Mutombo built a reputation as an athlete, humanitarian and comedian.
On the court, he was an eight-time NBA All-Star and earned Defensive Player of the Year honors four seasons.
Behind the scenes, he lit up the room with his big heart and sense of humor.
Jason Collins, the legendary NBA player who came out as gay over a decade ago, paid tribute to his friend.
He gave back to people in Africa, working with many people across America to bring much-needed resources to Africa.
“Dikembe was a shining example of a leader who used his humanity foremost in everything he sought to build, those works being so numerous that they are difficult to name in their entirety,” the McCain Institute said. “In all he did he also brought his humility and character, whether in sports, bringing healthcare to those in need, or leading aid and development in his home nation of Congo.
“The world is a lesser place without him, and our family will miss him dearly.”
Cindy McCain shared her appreciation for Mutombo.
Magic Johnson also heaped on the praise for Mutombo’s legacy.
Mutombo was also well-liked amongst other players. He was a trash-talker and he had a good sense of humor. Behind closed doors, he would trash-talk the great one, Michael Jordan.
Of course, Jordan got him in the end.
And then there was the time Mutombo inhaled helium to sound like one of the Three Stooges. Thank you Conan O’Brien.
Or the time he mocked his own voice vis-a-vis Cookie Monster.
The “No No” finger wag — Mutombo’s signature move — transcends sports, popping up in even the NFL.
Outsports’ writer Karleigh Webb will often give people the Dikembe if they bring nonsense or transphobia.
No matter what team he played for, or what team someone cheer for, Mutombo was as universally loved as any athlete will ever be.
Even this NBC sports commentator, who had spent time with Mutombo, couldn’t hold back the tears as he reported on the legend’s passing.
There aren’t a lot of athletes whose loss would bring a media professional to tears. Mutombo was that kind of athlete.
His former teams lamented the loss.
Yet for athletes, so much of it comes back to that finger-wag. Even though Jordan got him in the end, Mutombo wagging his finger when he blocked a shot or stopped a score is legendary.
And even with that one dunk from Jordan, Mutombo took pride.
Dikembe Mutombo was unique. He was an original, one of one. Outsports, and in particular our contributor Karleigh Webb, mourn his loss.
Subscribe to the Outsports newsletter to keep up with your favorite out athletes, inspiring LGBTQ sports stories, and more.
