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Dikembe Mutombo

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Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo (born June 25, 1966), commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a retired Congolese American professional basketball player last playing for the Houston Rockets of the NBA. He was the oldest player in the NBA at the time of his most recent season.[1]

The 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m), 260-pound (120 kg; 19 st)* center is generally regarded as one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players of all time, winning the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award four times. On January 10, 2007, he surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the second most prolific shot blocker in NBA history, behind only Hakeem Olajuwon. He is a member of the Luba ethnic group and speaks English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and five African languages.[2] In the second game of the first round of the 2009 NBA playoffs, Mutombo suffered a knee injury that would keep him out for the remainder of the post-season. Soon after the injury, Mutombo claimed he had played his last games in the NBA.[3]

College

Georgetown University

Mutombo originally intended to become a doctor; he attended Georgetown University on a USAID scholarship. Georgetown Hoyas basketball coach John Thompson recruited him to play basketball. He spoke almost no English when he arrived at Georgetown and studied in their ESL program. He became an excellent college center, continuing Georgetown's tradition of producing great big men. He was a celebrated shot blocker at Georgetown, setting a team record of twelve blocked shots in a single game. Building on the shot-blocking power of Mutombo and teammate Alonzo Mourning, Georgetown fans created a "Rejection Row" section under the basket, adding a big silhouette of an outstretched hand to a banner for each shot blocked during the game.

While at Georgetown, Mutombo's international background and interests stood out. Like many other Washington-area college students, he served as a summer intern, once for the Congress of the United States and once for the World Bank. In 1991 he graduated with a B.A. in linguistics and diplomacy.

Dikembe Mutombo was a celebrated superstar in his native country of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), and was scouted by Jarryd Halberstadt. He attended a Salvation Army school from 6th to 11th grade.

NBA career

Denver Nuggets

Selected fourth overall by the Denver Nuggets in the 1991 NBA Draft, Mutombo's impact was immediate. As a rookie, he was selected for the All-Star team by averaging 16.6 points, 12.3 rebounds, and nearly three blocks per game. A cornerstone in the Nuggets' frontcourt, Dikembe became one of the league's best defensive players, regularly putting up big rebound and block numbers for five years with the club while averaging 11 or so points a game. The team lacked other great players to team up with him, however, and at its best won only 42 games. In Mutombo's third season, however, Denver pulled off a major playoff upset by stunning the top-seeded Seattle SuperSonics in the first round, the first eighth seed to win an NBA playoff series, in which at the end of Game 5, Mutombo fell to the ground, holding the ball over his head in a moment of joy. Mutombo's defensive presence was the key to this upset victory. His total of 31 blocks remains a record for a five-game series. The following season, he received the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award.

Atlanta Hawks

After the 1995–96 NBA season, Mutombo's contract with the Nuggets expired, and he signed a free agent contract with the Atlanta Hawks. Mutombo continued to put up excellent defensive numbers with his new team. Joining the Hawks made him more noticeable, helping him win two more Defensive Player of the Year awards and several All-Defensive Team selections. He also became fairly well known for his signature finger waggle, which he would point at a player's direction after he had blocked that player's shot. During the lockout-shortened 1999 season, he was the NBA's IBM Award winner, a player of the year award determined by a computerized formula.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Hawks traded Mutombo to the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia 76ers in February 2001 for their injured center Theo Ratliff as the Sixers needed a replacement stellar big man to compete with Western Conference powers Tim Duncan or Shaquille O'Neal should they reach the finals. He earned his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award that season and was in the prime of his career. That season he also earned a trip to the NBA Finals, where the 76ers lost to the Los Angeles Lakers four games to one. A free-agent, he re-signed with the Sixers after the season. While his statistics were comparable in the 2001–02 season, the Sixers dealt him to the New Jersey Nets, fearing that his game had deteriorated.

New Jersey Nets

The Nets were looking for a more physical big man to compete with Shaquille O'Neal and Tim Duncan, two of the best big men in the league who also led championship-caliber teams in the West. Unfortunately, Mutombo spent most of that season with a nagging injury that limited him to just 24 games. He was generally unable to play in the playoffs, typically serving as a sixth man during the Nets' second consecutive Finals run.

New York Knicks

In October 2003, the Nets bought out the remainder of his contract and subsequently waived him. He signed a two-year deal with the New York Knicks a few days later. The Knicks later traded him to the Chicago Bulls in a package for Jamal Crawford. He never played a game for the Bulls and they dealt him to the Houston Rockets in the 2004 offseason.

Houston Rockets

Mutombo most recently played as a reserve behind Yao Ming, forming one of the NBA's most productive center combos. In his first season with the Rockets (2004–05), Mutombo averaged 15.2 MPG, 5.3 RPG, and 4.0 PPG. However, despite the stellar play of Tracy McGrady, the Rockets lost in the first round against the Dallas Mavericks. In the 2007–08 season, Mutombo yet again received extensive playing time when Yao went down with a broken bone, and averaged double digits in rebounding as a starter. The additional playing time gave Mutombo the opportunity to continue accruing blocked shots at a record-setting pace. On January 10, 2008, in a 102–77 rout of the Los Angeles Lakers, Mutombo recorded 5 blocked shots and surpassed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in total career blocked shots. Mutombo is currently second only to Hakeem Olajuwon. Also, on March 2, 2007, in a win over the Denver Nuggets, at the age of 41, Mutombo became the oldest player in NBA history to record more than 20 rebounds in a game with 22.[4] After contemplating retirement and spending the first part of 2008 as an unsigned unrestricted free agent, on December 31, 2008, Mutombo signed with the Houston Rockets for the remainder of the 2008–2009 season. He said that the 2009 season would be his "farewell tour" and his last.

In Game 1 of Houston's first round playoff series against Portland, Mutombo played for 18 minutes and had nine rebounds, two blocks, and a steal.[5]

In the 2nd quarter of Game 2, Mutombo landed awkwardly and had to be carried from the floor. After the game, he said, "it’s over for me for my career" and that surgery would be needed.[6][7] It was later confirmed that the quadriceps tendon of his left knee was ruptured in Game 2.[8] Mutumbo announced retirement on April 23, 2009, after 18 seasons of playing basketball.

Player profile

The 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) 260 lb (120 kg), Mutombo plays center, where he is regarded as one of the top post defenders of all time. His combination of height, power and long arms have led to a record tying four NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards, a feat equalled only by Ben Wallace. Staples of Mutombo's defensive prowess are his outstanding shot-blocking and rebounding power: for his career, he averages 2.9 blocks and 10.8 rebounds per game. He is second all-time in registered blocks, behind only Hakeem Olajuwon , and is the 21st most prolific rebounder ever.[9] He is also an eight-time All-Star and was elected into three All-NBA and six All-Defensive Teams.[10] Along with his defensive prowess Mutombo also could contribute offensively, averaging at least 10 points per game until he reached age 35.[10]

Mutombo also achieved a certain level of on-court notoriety. After a successful block, he was known for taunting his opponents by waving his index finger, like a parent would reproach a disobedient child. Later in his career NBA officials would respond to the gesture with a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct. To avoid the technical foul, Mutombo took to waving his finger at the crowd after a block, which is not considered taunting by rules.[11] In addition, his flailing elbows are known for injuring several NBA players, including Michael Jordan, Dennis Rodman, Charles Oakley, Patrick Ewing, Chauncey Billups, Ray Allen, Yao Ming, LeBron James and Tracy McGrady. His teammate Yao Ming made a joke about it: "I need to talk to Coach to have Dikembe held out of practice, because if he hits somebody in practice, it's our teammate. At least in the games, it's 50/50."[12]

Personal life

Mutombo and his wife Rose have six children, four adopted.[2]

Multilingual by both upbringing and education, Mutombo is able to speak English, French, Spanish, Portuguese and five African languages.[2]

He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by the State University of New York College at Cortland for his humanitarian work in Africa.

Mutombo's nephew Harouna Mutombo plays college basketball for the Western Carolina Catamounts. Harouna was the team's leading scorer for the 2009 season and was named Southern Conference Freshman of the Year. [1]

Humanitarian work

A well-known humanitarian, Mutombo started the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to improve living conditions in his native Democratic Republic of Congo in 1997. His efforts earned him the NBA's J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 2001 and 2009. For his feats, The Sporting News named him as one of the "Good Guys in Sports" in 1999 and 2000,[2] and in 1999, he was elected as one of 20 winners of the President's Service Awards, the nation's highest honor for volunteer service.[2] In 2004, he also participated in the Basketball Without Borders NBA program, where NBA stars like Shawn Bradley, Malik Rose and DeSagana Diop toured Africa to spread the word about basketball and to improve the infrastructure.[2] He also paid for uniforms and expenses for the Zaire women's basketball team during the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta.[2] Mutombo is a spokesman for the international relief agency, CARE (relief) and is the first Youth Emissary for the United Nations Development Program.[13]

In honor of his humanitarianism, Mutombo was invited to President George W. Bush's 2007 State of the Union Address and was referred to as a "son of the Congo" by the President in his speech,[14] Mutombo later said, "My heart was full of joy. I didn't know the President was going to say such great remarks."[15]

Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital

In 1997, Mutombo with the Mutombo Foundation began plans to open a $29 million, 300-bed hospital on the outskirts of his hometown, the Congolese capital of Kinshasa. Ground was broken in 2001, but construction didn't start until 2004, as Mutombo had trouble getting donations early on although Mutombo personally donated $3.5 million toward the hospital's construction.[13] Initially Mutombo had some other difficulties, almost losing the land to the government because it was not being used and having to pay refugees who had begun farming the land to leave. He also struggled to reassure some that he did not have any ulterior or political motives for the project.[13] However, the project has been on the whole very well received at all social and economic levels in Kinshasa.[13]

On August 14, 2006, Dikembe had donated $15 million to the completion of the hospital for its ceremonial opening on September 2, 2006. The hospital was by then named Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, named for his late mother, who died of a stroke in 1997.[16]

When it opened in February 2007, the $29 million facility became the first modern medical facility to be built in that area in nearly 40 years.[17] His hospital is on a 12-acre (49,000 m2) site on the outskirts of Kinshasa in Masina, where about a quarter of the city's 7.5 million residents live in poverty. It is minutes from Kinshasa's airport and near a bustling open-air market. The hospital has full telemedicine capabilities with the United States and Europe through the network established by Medical Missions for Children.[18]

Career summary and highlights

  • Second Team: 2001
  • Third Team: 1998, 2002
  • First Team: 1997, 1998, 2001
  • Second Team: 1995, 1999, 2002
  • NBA All-Rookie First Team: 1992
  • 2nd on All-Time NBA recorded Blocks, 3,256.
  • 2-time NBA regular-season leader, rebounding average: 2000 (14.1), 2001 (13.5)
  • 4-time NBA regular-season leader, total rebounds: 1995 (1029), 1997 (929), 1999 (610), 2000 (1157)
  • NBA regular-season leader, offensive rebounds: 2001 (307)
  • 2-time NBA regular-season leader, defensive rebounds: 1999 (418), 2000 (853)
  • 3-time NBA regular-season leader, blocked shots average: 1994 (4.1), 1995 (3.9), 1996 (4.5)
  • 5-time NBA regular-season leader, total blocks: 1994 (336), 1995 (321), 1996 (332), 1997 (264), 1998 (277)
  • Career averages (as of March 2008): 9.9 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 2.7 BPG
  • Invited to be a special guest at President George W. Bush's State of the Union address, commended for his humanitarian aid to his homeland.
  • Oldest player in NBA history to collect over 20 rebounds in a game (March 2 2007 vs. Denver Nuggets)

NBA career statistics

Legend
  GP Games played   GS  Games started  MPG  Minutes per game
 FG%  Field goal percentage  3P%  3-point field goal percentage  FT%  Free throw percentage
 RPG  Rebounds per game  APG  Assists per game  SPG  Steals per game
 BPG  Blocks per game  PPG  Points per game  Bold  Career high

Regular season

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1991–92 Denver 71 71 38.3 .493 .000 .642 12.3 2.2 .6 3.0 16.6
1992–93 Denver 82 82 36.9 .510 .000 .681 13.0 1.8 .5 3.5 13.8
1993–94 Denver 82 82 34.8 .569 .000 .583 11.8 1.5 .7 4.1 12.0
1994–95 Denver 82 82 37.8 .556 .000 .654 12.5 1.4 .5 3.9 11.5
1995–96 Denver 74 74 36.7 .499 .000 .695 11.8 1.5 .5 4.5 11.0
1996–97 Atlanta 80 80 37.2 .527 .000 .705 11.6 1.4 .6 3.3 13.3
1997–98 Atlanta 82 82 35.6 .537 .000 .670 11.4 1.0 .4 3.4 13.4
1998–99 Atlanta 50 50 36.6 .512 .000 .684 12.2 1.1 .3 2.9 10.8
1999–00 Atlanta 82 82 36.4 .562 .000 .708 14.1 1.3 .3 3.3 11.5
2000–01 Atlanta 49 49 35.0 .477 .000 .695 14.1 1.1 .4 2.8 9.1
2000–01 Philadelphia 26 26 33.7 .495 .000 .759 12.4 .8 .3 2.5 11.7
2001–02 Philadelphia 80 80 36.3 .501 .000 .764 10.8 1.0 .4 2.4 11.5
2002–03 New Jersey 24 16 21.4 .374 .000 .727 6.4 .8 .2 1.5 5.8
2003–04 New York 65 56 23.0 .478 .000 .681 6.7 .4 .3 1.9 5.6
2004–05 Houston 80 2 15.2 .498 .000 .741 5.3 .1 .2 1.3 4.0
2005–06 Houston 64 23 14.9 .526 .000 .758 4.8 .1 .3 .9 2.6
2006–07 Houston 75 33 17.2 .556 .000 .690 6.5 .2 .3 1.0 3.1
2007–08 Houston 39 25 15.9 .538 .000 .711 5.1 .1 .3 1.2 3.0
2008–09 Houston 9 2 10.7 .385 .000 .667 3.7 .0 .0 1.2 1.8
Career 1196 997 30.8 .518 .000 .684 10.3 1.0 .4 2.8 9.8
All-Star 8 3 17.5 .595 .000 .750 9.3 .3 .4 1.2 6.3

Playoffs

Year Team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1993–94 Denver 12 12 42.6 .463 .000 .602 12.0 1.8 .7 5.8 13.3
1994–95 Denver 3 3 28.0 .600 .000 .667 6.3 .3 .0 2.3 6.0
1996–97 Atlanta 10 10 41.5 .628 .000 .719 12.3 1.3 .1 2.6 15.4
1997–98 Atlanta 4 4 34.0 .458 .000 .625 12.8 .3 .2 2.2 8.0
1998–99 Atlanta 9 9 42.2 .563 .000 .702 13.9 1.2 .6 2.6 12.6
2000–01 Philadelphia 23 23 42.7 .490 .000 .777 13.7 .7 .6 3.1 13.9
2001–02 Philadelphia 5 5 34.6 .452 .000 .615 10.6 .6 .4 1.8 8.8
2002–03 New Jersey 10 0 11.5 .467 .000 1.000 2.7 .6 .3 .9 1.8
2003–04 New York 3 0 12.7 .333 .000 1.000 3.3 .0 .3 1.3 2.3
2004–05 Houston 7 0 14.4 .545 .000 .769 5.0 .3 .3 1.0 3.1
2006–07 Houston 7 0 5.7 1.000 .000 1.000 1.6 .1 .0 .4 1.3
2007–08 Houston 6 6 20.5 .615 .000 .636 6.5 .3 .2 1.8 3.8
2008–09 Houston 2 0 10.0 .000 .000 .000 4.5 .0 .5 1.0 .0
Career 101 72 30.9 .517 .000 .703 9.5 .8 .4 2.5 9.1

References

  1. ^ Mutombo's Mission Extends Beyond Basketball SI.com, January 26, 2009
  2. ^ a b c d e f g "Dikembe Mutombo Info Page". Retrieved 2007-01-18. Cite error: The named reference "nbabio" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  3. ^ http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6385553.html
  4. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=2786439 Mutombo grabs 22 boards, Rockets top Nuggets
  5. ^ http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=290418022
  6. ^ McTaggart, Brian (April 22, 2009). "Mutombo suffers career-ending knee injury in Portland". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2009-04-22.
  7. ^ http://myespn.go.com/blogs/truehoop/0-39-112/Dikembe-Mutombo---For-Me--Basketball-is-Over--.html
  8. ^ AP Report on Mutombo's Retirement
  9. ^ Career Leaders and Records for Total Rebounds - Basketball-Reference.com
  10. ^ a b Dikembe Mutombo Statistics, www.basketball-reference.com
  11. ^ NBA signs off on Mutombo's finger wave | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
  12. ^ McGrady's OK to play Tuesday vs. Warriors | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
  13. ^ a b c d Nance, Roscoe. USA Today August 16, 2006 "Mutombo helps Congo take a big step forward with new hospital"
  14. ^ "White House: text of the State of the Union Address, 2007". Retrieved 2007-01-24.
  15. ^ "Phone interview". Retrieved 2007-02-06.
  16. ^ Mutombo's hospital dream about to come true | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
  17. ^ Sports Illustrated, September 4, 2006; Steve Rushin's Air and Space.
  18. ^ http://www.mmissions.org/initiatives/mutombo.html Biamba Marie Mutombo Teaching Hospital and Research Center
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