Joel Embiid, Adam Silver, Pau Gasol and others react to Dikembe Mutombo's death: 'Just a great human being'

On Monday, the NBA world lost a giant with the death of Dikembe Mutombo at the age of 58. Throughout the day, members of the basketball world paid tribute to the Hall of Famer and humanitarians, honoring his legacy on and off the court.

The NBA announced the news Monday morning with a statement from commissioner Adam Silver about his personal relationship with Mutombo, who became the NBA's global ambassador.

Mutombo's son Ryan wrote a heartfelt message on Instagram, calling his father his hero and “the purest heart I've ever known.”

The Atlanta Hawks, who retired Mutombo's No. 55 jersey in 2015, mourned his passing. Principal owner Tony Ressler called Mutombo “a proud and honorable man who lived up to the definition of a word that became synonymous with his name – humanitarian.”

The Houston Rockets, where Mutombo ended his 19-year career, paid tribute to the late NBA star on social media. In a statement, Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta wrote: “Dikembe was loved by the entire NBA community and his tireless humanitarian efforts left an indelible mark on our league.”

Since news of Mutombo's death came on the same day as NBA Media Day, many NBA players commented on Mutombo's legacy during their press conferences.

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid spoke about Mutombo's impact on and off the court. Embiid, who was born in Cameroon, said the Congo-born player was a role model.

“It's a sad day, especially for us Africans and actually for the whole world, because apart from what he achieved on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court,” Embiid said of Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. “He's one of the guys I look up to when it comes to making a difference… He's done a lot of great things for a lot of people.”

Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey also spoke about Mutombo Monday morning, saying the NBA star became Morey's mentor while both were in Houston. The two overlapped in 2007 when Morey began his managerial career as general manager until Mutombo retired in 2009.

“There aren’t a lot of guys like him,” Morey said, via Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic. “Just a great person.”

Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri also spoke about Mutombo during his press conference and was very emotional when discussing his friend's death.

“It's really hard to believe and we're having a hard time getting by without this guy,” Ujiri said, via Lindsay Dunn of CityNews Toronto. “He has no idea what Dikembe Mutombo meant to me.”

Chris Paul spoke about Mutombo during the San Antonio Spurs' media day, saying that he met Mutombo when the two played at the 2015 NBA Africa Game in Johannesburg, South Africa.

“Dikembe and what he did for the league, his personality… he is a legend and we will miss him,” Paul said.

NBA Hall of Famer Pau Gasol wrote about Mutombo on social media, talking about Mutombo's skills on the court and his kindness off the court.

Cindy McCain, widow of Senator John McCain, wrote about Mutombo's humanitarian efforts. With his Mutombo Foundation, the NBA star founded hospitals, improved infrastructure, supported the growth of basketball and much more in his native Congo.

“My dear friend Dikembe Mutombo died today of brain cancer. I knew him to be a real humanitarian. Here we are together in a refugee camp, trying to help those who couldn't help themselves. “I will love him and miss him terribly,” McCain said in a statement to X.

The Special Olympics recognized Mutombo, who was a global ambassador and board member of the organization. In a statement to X, the Special Olympics called Mutombo a “champion of inclusion” and “a colossus on and off the basketball court.”

Serge Ibaka, a former NBA player currently playing in Europe, thanked Mutombo for his groundbreaking achievements as an African player in the league. Ibaka, who was born in the Republic of Congo, played in the NBA for almost 15 years.