Eight-time NBA All-Star and Basketball Hall of Famer dies at age 58

Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutumbo has died, the NBA announced Monday. He was 58.

According to an NBA press release, Mutumbo died of brain cancer and was with his family at the time of his death. The 7-foot-2 center, who was known for wagging his finger at his opponents after blocking their shots, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2022.

“Dikembe Mutumbo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in NBA history. Even off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.”

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A native of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mutumbo played 18 seasons in the NBA from 1991 to 2009. The former Georgetown star was drafted fourth overall in the 1991 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets. He played his first five seasons in Denver before also playing for the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, then-New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets.

Over his 18-year career, Mutumbo was named an All-Star eight times, an All-Defensive Team honoree six times, Defensive Player of the Year four times and an All-NBA selection three times. He led the NBA in blocks in three different seasons and led the league in rebounds twice.

Mutumbo averaged 9.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.8 blocks in 30.5 minutes in 1,196 career games, including 997 starts. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.