Happy 46th Birthday Dikembe Mutombo

Today one of the most legendary players to play for the Denver Nuggets turned the big 46.

Dikembe Mutombo was drafted by the Nuggets with the fourth pick in the 1991 Draft and became the focal point of their defense for the next four years, including guiding Denver to one of the biggest upsets in NBA history when the eighth-seed Nuggets beat the top-seeded Seattle Supersonics 3-2 in the first round of the 1994 playoffs.

Mutombo’s 7-foot-2 stature was an imposing presence for the Nuggets from 1991 to 1995. During that time he led the league in blocks three straight seasons (1993-1996) and in rebounds one year (1994-95). He made two All-Star Games in a Nuggets jersey (eight seasons overall). He was chosen the Defensive Player of The Year in 1995 (as well as the 1997, 1998 and 2001  seasons).

Mutombo left the Nuggets in 1996 after receiving a $56-million deal/5-year deal from the Atlanta Hawks, which Denver refused to match.

He retired from the NBA in 2009 as a Houston Rocket after playing for six different teams in 18 years. He retired at the age of 42.