Dikembe Mutombo Dead: NBA Hall of Fame Member Dies at 58

Getty Images for UNICEF

The NBA Global Ambassador and Hall of Fame member was battling a form of cancer, the NBA announced.

Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo, NBA Global Ambassador, Hall of Fame member and humanitarian, has died. He was 58 years old. The NBA announced the news in addition to his cause of death on Monday, September 30, via social media.

“NBA Global Ambassador and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo passed away today at the age of 58 from brain cancer,” the association tweeted, adding, “He was surrounded by his family.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver released a statement as well, calling Mutombo “larger than life on the court” and “one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA.”

“Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others,” Silver continued in his statement. “There was nobody more qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first global ambassador. He was a humanitarian at his core. He loved what the game of basketball could do to make a positive impact on communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo and across the continent of Africa. I had the privilege of traveling the world with Dikembe and seeing firsthand how his generosity and compassion uplifted people. He was always accessible at NBA events over the years — with his infectious smile, deep, booming voice, and signature finger wag that endeared him to basketball fans of every generation.”

Silver concluded his tribute to Mutombo by writing, “On behalf of the entire NBA family, I send my deepest condolences to Dick’s wife, rose, and their children; his many friends; and the global basketball community, which he truly loved and which loved him back.”

Mutombo first met his wife, Rose Mutombo, in the 1990s. They welcomed three children together and also adopted four additional kids. The couple’s son Ryan Mutombo followed in his late father’s footsteps by attending Georgetown University’s basketball team. After three seasons at the school, Ryan transferred to Georgia Tech and currently plays for the team, according to The Guardian.

News of Mutombo’s death comes nearly two years after he underwent surgery for a brain tumor. Per ESPN, the NBA reported that he had begun treatment in Atlanta in October 2022 and was in “great spirits” at the time.