RIP: Dikembe Mutombo
One of the greatest blockers in basketball history has passed away.
Dikembe Mutombo died at the age of 58 following a battle with brain cancer.
From the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mutombo planned to be a doctor, but with his 7’ 2” frame and natural athletic ability, he was encouraged to pursue a career in basketball. Mutombo moved to the United States at 21, where he went to Georgetown on a USAID scholarship but was recruited by Coach John Thompson to join the Hoyas.
He was an instant sensation at Georgetown, where he was a two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year. His play earned him the fourth overall pick by the Denver Nuggets in 1991, and he was an All-Star immediately and the runner-up for the Rookie of the Year. A Nugget for the first five years of his career, Mutombo won three Blocking Titles there and won his first Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1994-95.
Mutombo signed with Atlanta in 1996, where he added two more Defensive Player of the Year Awards and three more All-Stars while also capturing his first Rebounding Title. He added a second one and a fourth DPOY in the year he was traded to Philadelphia. He would later play for New Jersey, New York, and Houston and retired with eight All-Stars, three All-NBA Selections, four DPOYs, six All-Defensive Selections, and two J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Awards.
An avid humanitarian, Mutombo gave back to his native Congo and did work throughout Africa.
Mutombo is also second all-time in Blocks (3,289) and twenty-first in Rebounding (12,359). Denver and Atlanta retired his number 55, and in 2015, he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
We at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to Dikembe Mutombo's fans, family, and friends.
Awards = HOF? Part Twenty: The NBA Defensive Player of the Year
Needless to say, different awards in different sports yield hall of fame potential. In basketball, the team sport with the least amount of players on a roster, the dividend for greatness much higher. In baseball, it is not as much as a great individual season does not have the same impact.
2015 Basketball HOF Weekend!
Yesterday, the class of 2015 took their place in a red carpet ceremony at the Hall, and let’s takes a final look at this group of inductees.
The headliner (in our eyes) is Dikembe Mutombo, one of the greatest defensive players in NBA history. The Congo born Mutombo won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year four times and was named to a post season All-Defensive team seven times. The Center was also named a Second Team All-NBA Selection once and made the Third Team twice. He would also lead the NBA in Rebounds four times and Blocks five times. Mutombo was ranked first on our Notinhalloffame countdown last year, his first and only time on the list.
A special induction in our eyes is that of Spencer Haywood, who not along ago was told he was inducted only to find that he wasn’t. Heywood, who was ranked as high as #2 on our list at one point notably challenged the reserve clause to enter the NBA after spending one year dominating the ABA and winning their MVP Award. As an NBA player, Haywood would make two First Team and two Second Team All NBA rosters and late in his career would win the title with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The actual headliner is John Calipari, the current coach of the University of Kentucky. Calipari has a .773 Winning Percentage in the NCAA and won the title with the Wildcats in 2012. He would take his teams to six Final Fours (though two have been vacated) and has been named the Naismith Coach of the Year three times.
Jojo White, a seven time NBA All Star and two-time NBA Champion with the Boston Celtics, one of which earned him a Finals MVP. White was named to two Second Team All NBA squads.
Lisa Leslie, one of the best woman’s players ever and three time WNBA MVP. Leslie would also win two WNBA Titles with the Los Angeles Sparks and four Olympic Gold Medals with the United States. Leslie was named to eight First Team All-WNBA teams.
Dick Bavetta, who holds the record for the most games officiated in the NBA and never missed an assignment over his 39 year career.
Louie Dampier, who was with the ABA’s Kentucky Colonels during that league’s entire existence. Dampier was a seven time ABA All Star, helped the Colonels win the ABA Title in the league’s last year of existence and was a Second Team All-ABA member four times.
Tom Heinsohn, an eight time NBA Champion with the Boston Celtics and two time NBA Champion as the Head Coach of the same team. As a player, Heinsohn was the Rookie of the Year in 1957 and was the NBA Coach of the Year in 1973.
George Raveling, a former college coach who is Nike’s Global Basketball Marketing Director.
Lindsay Gaze, a former three time player for the Australian Olympic Team and a four time coach of the Australian Olympic Team at the Olympics.
John Issacs, an early African American Player who played for many African-American teams in the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s.
The Notinhalloffame.com Basketball list has been updated since with Allen Iverson now as the top candidate for Springfield.
We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate this year’s class and encourage all of you to vote on who you think should be in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
The Atlanta Hawks to retire Dikembe Mutombo's number
As such, we here are Notinhalloffame.com are acknowledging the Atlanta Hawks’ decision to retire the number of Dikembe Mutombo, the finger wagging shot-blocker who just entered the Basketball Hall of Fame.
Mutombo, who wore #55 throughout his entire professional career, was a Hawk for nearly five of his eighteen year career, earning All Star accolades in four of those seasons. The African born player was named to two of his four NBA Defensive Player of the Year Awards in Atlanta and also would be a two time Blocks Champion and two time Rebound Champion as a Hawk.
Overall as an Atlanta Hawk, Dikembe Mutombo had an 11.9 Points, 12.6 Rebounds and 3.2 Blocks per Game Average with an 18.9 PER.
We would like to congratulate Dikembe Mutombo on this latest accolade.