Heartbroken NBA community reacts to Dikembe Mutombo’s death

The NBA community is mourning the death of Dikembe Mutombo, who died Monday due to brain cancer at 58 years old.

The Basketball Hall of Famer was an eight-time NBA All-Star and four-time NBA Defensive Player of the year across 18 seasons with the Nuggets, Hawks, Sixers, Nets, Knicks and Rockets.

His No. 55 was retired by Atlanta and Denver.

His son, Ryan Mutumbo, called him a hero in a post on Instagram fondly remembering his dad.

“My dad will forever be my hero,” Ryan wrote. “Not because of his success — because of the millions who, over the last four decades, have come to know and love him.

“My dad is my hero because he simply cared. He remains the purest heart I have ever known.

“At times, I thought of my dad as a super-human. The child in me would sigh to hear that this was never actually the case. My dad was a regular man who would stop at no lengths to honor the world, its people, and its creator. He loved others with every ounce of his being. That’s what made him so accessible. That’s what made him real.

“Dikembe Mutombo was salt and light, and today, on the 30th of September, 2024, he has been called to rest. I love you, Dad. Rest easy.”

Sixers general manager Daryl Morey was emotional when he reflected on his relationship with Mutombo — who helped Philadelphia reach the NBA Finals for the first time in 18 years and earned his fourth NBA Defensive Player of the Year award in 2001.

“I knew him personally,” Morey, who was the Rockets GM in the late 2000s when Mutombo was on the team, said at Sixers media day.

“We were together for many seasons, and he’s obviously important to the Sixers franchise as well. There aren’t many guys like him. Just a great human being. When I was a rookie GM in this league, my first chance in Houston, he was someone I went to all the time. Obviously his accomplishments on the court… but an amazing human being – what he did off the court, for Africa… Rest in peace, Dikembe.”

Raptors president Masai Ujiri couldn’t hold back tears while reacting to Mutombo’s death at a press conference during media day.