Dikembe Mutombo was truly larger than life. So many of us woke up yesterday to the excitement of media days going on around the league but were quickly greeted by

NBA Hall of Fame center and global ambassador Dikembe Mutombo, known for his "infectious smile, his deep booming voice and signature finger wag," died Monday from brain cancer at the age of 58.

The finger wag. The enormous smile. The unmistakable voice. Dikembe Mutombo played defense at a level and with a flair that few others in basketball history ever possessed, all among the many reasons why he’s immortalized in the Hall of Fame.

Jeff Van Gundy, Bernie Bickerstaff and Mutombo's teammates on the legacy of the beloved player: "There was no way you could not like him."

Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday from brain cancer, the league announced.

ATLANTA (AP) — Hall of Fame basketball player Dikembe Mutombo dies at 58 from brain cancer.

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.

LeBron James told the story of Mutombo fracturing his face — and even then he couldn't talk about Dikembe without a smile on his face.

Mutombo, who played for 18 seasons in the NBA, was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2022

In the pantheon of NBA greats, few figures loom as large—both literally and figuratively—as Dikembe Mutombo. Standing at a towering 7'2", the man from