2. Dikembe Mutombo
The Nuggets drafted Mutombo with the fourth overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft, and he was an immediate force in the NBA. The 7’2 big man did not start playing basketball until he was 16 years old, but his size and shot-blocking ability made him stand out. Mutombo was an All-Star as a rookie where he averaged 16.6 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks per game.
He went on to be a three-time All-Star, Defensive Player of the Year, and lead the league in blocks three times in his five seasons in Denver. Mutombo became a free agent in 1996, and the elite big man was seeking a massive contract that exceed what the Nuggets were willing to pay.
The Hawks signed him to a five-year deal worth $55 million where he made four All-Star appearances, twice lead the league in rebounding, and won three Defensive Player of the Year awards. The 7’2 big man helped the Sixers reach the NBA Finals in 2001, and he played in the NBA for 13 years after leaving the Nuggets in 1996.
Dikembe Mutombo was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015, and he will go down as one of the best defensive big men in NBA history. The Denver Nuggets drafted him, but they missed out on multiple years of his prime because they were unwilling to exceed the Hawks’ offer in free agency.