Dikembe Mutombo, Basketball Hall of Famer and NBA global ambassador, dies at 58

Beloved finger-wagging Hall of Fame center Dikembe Mutombo, one of basketball's most feared shot blockers and admired humanitarians, died after fighting brain cancer, officials said Monday.

Beloved finger-wagging Hall of Fame center Dikembe Mutombo, one of basketball's most feared shot blockers and admired humanitarians, died after fighting brain cancer, officials said Monday.

Mutombo, the NBA's first "global ambassador," was 58.

"I am one of the many people whose lives were touched by Dikembe's big heart and I will miss him dearly," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement.

Former President Barack Obama said Mutombo's legacy will live forever, as more athletes use their name and resources to improve others' lives.

"Dikembe Mutombo was an incredible basketball player — one of the best shot blockers and defensive players of all time," Obama said in a statement. "But he also inspired a generation of young people across Africa, and his work as the NBA’s first global ambassador changed the way athletes think about their impact off the court. Michelle and I are thinking of Dikembe’s family and everyone who knew and loved him."

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/dikembe-mutombo-dies-58-rcna173258

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