Dikembe Mutombo, wey be one of di oga kpatakpata for defence for NBA history, plus him humanitarian work for Africa, don waka go. Di tori say di basketball hall of famer pass on from brain cancer don touch plenty people for di world. Mutombo bin dey 58 years old.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver dey talk say “Dikembe Mutombo na giant both for court and outside, e pour him heart into helping others.” Him bin be di first Global Ambassador for NBA since 2009, promoting basketball for di world especially for Africa.
Mutombo wey dem know for him shot blocking prowess and him signature finger wag afta he block shot. Him waka pass influence no dey just for court, e extend reach outside too, especially for him homeland Democratic Republic of Congo.
Him born for Kinshasa, Congo, and go Georgetown University under USAID scholarship. Even though him no sabi English when him land America, him learn am sharp-sharp. Him love for education plus health lead am to set up Di Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to better di lives of pipo for Congo.
For di basketball side, Mutombo na 8-time All-Star wey play for Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, New York, and New Jersey Nets. Na for 2015 dem induct am enter NBA Hall of Fame because of him defensive kponkpon plus 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game career average.
Masai Ujiri, di Toronto president, e voice crack as e talk say “It’s hard to believe” about di loss of Mutombo. Another player wey dey hurt na Joel Embiid, di Cameroonian-born Philadelphia 76ers star, wey talk say “e dey painful for especially us Africans and di whole world.”
Di tori of Mutombo dey show how pipo fit use di fame wey dem get to impact pipo lives positively, both for sports and for humanitarian work. E go dey remember for him charity work, especially di hospital wey him help build for Kinshasa to improve health care.
Di whole NBA, di basketball fans, and Africa dey mourn di passing of a legend wey dey selfless both on and off the court. Rest in peace, big brother.
