WASHINGTON – The Georgetown College neighborhood mourns the passing of Dikembe Mutombo (C’91, HON ’10, P’19 P’23 P’24), an All-American on the boys’s basketball workforce at Georgetown who would go on to a Corridor of Fame profession within the NBA. Along with his success on the court docket, Mutombo devoted his life to philanthropic and humanitarian work, and being a full-time advocate for these in want. Mutombo served on Georgetown College’s Board of Administrators from 2017-2023. Mutombo handed away on September 30 on the age of 58 from mind most cancers.
“Dikembe Mutombo was the embodiment of the spirit of Georgetown,” mentioned Joseph Ferrara, Vice President of Georgetown College and Chief of Workers to President John J. DeGioia. “From his prolific school {and professional} basketball careers to his tireless work in retirement to enhance the lives of these in want of higher well being and alternative, he lived Georgetown’s values in a approach we at all times will maintain with nice esteem and delight. His passing is an amazing loss for the Georgetown neighborhood and certainly the USA, Congo, and in every single place else the place he uplifted these round him. On behalf of President John J. DeGioia and the Georgetown neighborhood, I provide my deepest condolences to Dikembe’s household, buddies, teammates and all who knew and liked him.”
In three seasons as a letterwinner on the Hilltop, Mutombo was a two-time All-BIG EAST choice and twice named BIG EAST Defensive Participant of the 12 months. He averaged 15.2 factors, 12.2 rebounds and 4.7 blocks as a senior in 1991, when he was named First Crew All-BIG EAST and earned Third Crew All-America honors. Throughout his tenure, the Hoyas captured one BIG EAST common season title (1988-89) and the 1989 BIG EAST Event title. That very same season, the Blue & Grey superior to the NCAA Elite Eight. Mutombo was chosen to Georgetown’s “All Century Crew” in 2007 and nonetheless ranks among the many all-time leaders in blocked pictures (third, 354) and rebounds (twelfth, 8.6 per sport). In 2012, he was inducted into the Georgetown Athletics Corridor of Fame. In 2016, Mutombo was acknowledged with the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award that acknowledges distinguished people on the twenty fifth anniversary of the conclusion of their school athletics careers.
Mutombo performed 18 seasons within the NBA culminating in Mutombo’s enshrinement into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Corridor of Fame in 2015. Nicknamed “Mount Mutombo” for his defensive prowess, he’s tied for essentially the most NBA Defensive Participant of the 12 months Awards with 4 (1995, 1997, 1998, 2001). An eight-time NBA All-Star, Mutombo nonetheless ranks second all-time in NBA profession blocks with 3,289 and was a three-time member of the NBA All-Defensive First Crew (1997, 1998, 2001). He was the NBA’s blocks chief in three consecutive seasons (1994-96) and the NBA’s rebounding chief twice (2000, 2001). His jersey quantity (55) was retired by each the Atlanta Hawks and the Denver Nuggets.
Throughout his profession, he was a two-time recipient of the NBA’s J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (2001, 2009), offered yearly to a participant, coach or athletic coach who exhibits excellent service and dedication to the neighborhood. In 2009, then-NBA Commissioner David Stern appointed him to the function of the primary ever NBA International Ambassador, the place he continued to work to develop and have fun the sport of basketball via worldwide sporting occasions whereas working with NBA Cares to convey consideration to necessary social points. In 2018, Mutombo was the recipient of the NBA and Turner’s Sager Robust Award, offered yearly to a person who has been a trailblazer whereas exemplifying braveness, religion, compassion and style.
In 2007, Mutombo was the primary recipient of the Naismith Corridor of Fame’s Mannie Jackson – Basketball’s Human Spirit Award. Jackson Award recipients embrace the core values of the sport: onerous work, striving to enhance and a dedication to others. Past the sport they mirror the values of Mannie Jackson’s lifelong mission to beat obstacles; problem the established order, take duty for his or her actions whereas in search of the best customary of excellence. It is a dedication that transcends private reward and continuously challenges the human spirit. Of their neighborhood, this individual is a acknowledged chief and catalyst for change. In the end, they’re singular people who lead by instance, demonstrating a philosophy of respectfulness, teamwork, dedication and human compassion in all elements of their lives.
After retiring from the NBA, Mutombo grew to become a full-time advocate and ambassador with a aim of serving to individuals in want achieve entry to the well being providers and academic and financial alternatives essential to stay higher lives and for his or her kids to develop robust and change into wholesome productive members of their communities.
In 1997, he based the Dikembe Mutombo Basis, with a mission to enhance the well being, training and high quality of life for the individuals of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. One main venture of the Dikembe Mutombo Basis was the development of a brand new normal hospital within the capital metropolis of Kinshasa. In December 2007 and at a value of $29 million, the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital opened in Congo. Named in reminiscence of Mutombo’s beloved mom, the hospital has handled near 200,000 males, girls and kids.
Mutombo additionally served on the board of the Nationwide Structure Heart, Particular Olympics Worldwide, the CDC Basis and the Nationwide Board for the U.S. Fund for UNICEF.
“Georgetown misplaced certainly one of its finest in Dikembe Mutombo,” mentioned Francis X. Rienzo Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Lee Reed. “Basketball followers keep in mind him for his protection, rebounding and that trademark finger wag, however to these of us that knew him nicely, we are going to miss the daddy, teammate, mentor and good friend. Dikembe left his mark on the Georgetown neighborhood in so some ways, however he shall be finest remembered for his distinctive present of leveraging his platform as a Corridor of Fame basketball participant to maximise his international influence as a humanitarian. Our deepest condolences to all the Mutombo household, Dikembe is a real Hoya who is not going to be forgotten.”
As a member of Georgetown’s Board of Administrators, Mutombo served on the Committee on Athletics and the Committee on Predominant Campus Affairs. He obtained a Physician of Humane Letters (LHD) from Georgetown in 2010.
