Hall-of-Famer, defensive legend, philanthropist, and NBA Global Ambassador, Dikembe Mutombo, has sadly passed away at the age of 58. Even while in the final stages of battling with brain cancer, he was still helping others. Mutombo was the epitome of what it means to be a humanitarian and he was a damn good player for the Denver Nuggets too.
Mutombo played 18 seasons in the NBA, 5 of which were in the Mile High City. He was a 4x Defensive Player of the Year, 8x All-Star, 3x All-NBA player, and 3x block champ. Additionally, he currently ranks 2nd in NBA history in total blocks at 3,289, trailing only Hakeem Olajuwon.
Mutombo was famous for his finger wag after he inevitably stuffed someone at the rim, but it was his off-court presence that was larger than life and especially significant. The 7’2” man with a heart of gold changed the way that athletes think about their impact off the court and inspired an entire generation of young Africans in the process.
To honor him, let’s take a look at the best Mt. Mutombo-Nuggets moments from his 5 years in Denver.
A trip down Dikembe Mutombo memory lane…
His insanely impressive first career NBA game
When the Nuggets drafted the 25-year-old Mutombo 4th overall in the 1991 NBA draft, many knew that he would be able to produce right away in the NBA. What people did not expect was just how dominant he would be in his very first career game. On November 1st, 1991, Mutombo recorded 18 points, 16 rebounds, and 3 blocks to get his career started off on the right path.
His first career 30-20 game and career-high point performance as a rookie
Mere months after his rookie debut, Mutombo had one of the best games of his NBA career on February 3rd, 1992. Not only did he secure his first ever 30+ point and 20+ rebound game, but he recorded his career high in points at 39 against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He finished the game with 21 boards and a pair of blocks to go along with his near 40-piece.
His monstrous 12-block triple-double in ‘93
Jumping forward a year, Nuggets fans got to witness perhaps Mutombo’s most prolific triple-double in his career. On April 18th, 1993, Denver faced off with the Los Angeles Clippers and Mt. Mutombo put on a block frenzy. He recorded 16 points, 21 rebounds, and a whopping 12 blocks to lead the Nuggets to a 94-83 victory.
His legendary 8-block performance to upset the top-seeded Sonics in ‘94
May 7th, 1994 was by far Mutombo’s most iconic moment in the NBA, as he embraced the basketball, laying on his back, after Denver pulled off the 98-94 victory to secure one of the greatest upsets ever. The 7’2” center recorded 8 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 blocks to pull off the miracle with his Nuggets teammates.
His 31-rebound masterclass in his final Nuggets season in ‘96
On March 26th, 1996, Mutombo played his 8th to last game for Denver and boy was it a memorable one. He recorded his career-high in rebounds in a double-overtime loss against Charlotte, pulling down 31 boards in a “tired just looking at it” 51 minutes. He added 16 points and 6 blocks to give the Denver crowd a night to never forget.
Mutombo went on to play 4.5 seasons with the Atlanta Hawks, 1.5 seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, one season with the New Jersey Nets, and one season with the New York Knicks, before finishing up his NBA career with 5 seasons playing for the Houston Rockets. He retired in 2009 at age 42.
There will never be anyone in the NBA like Mutombo again on or off the court, but if players can even have half the impact that the late-58-year-old legend has had on the world, the league will be in an incredible spot. Rest in Peace, Dikembe.