Five moments that endeared Dikembe Mutombo to the world

Dikembe Mutombo, in the words of NBA commissioner Adam Silver, was larger than life.

Mutombo, who died of brain cancer Monday at the age of 58, had an indomitable spirit, Silver said.

He left a mammoth legacy, one that befits the Hall of Fame center with the 7-foot-2 frame.

My dad will forever be my hero, Mutombos son, Ryan, wrote on Instagram.

Not because of his success not because of the millions who, over the last four decades, have come to know and love him.

My dad is my hero because he simply cared.

He remains the purest heart I have ever known.

At times, I thought of my dad as super-human.

Advertisement Dikembe Mutombo was the salt and light, and today, on the 30th of September, 2024, he has been called to rest.

I love you, Dad.

Rest easy.

From his philanthropic work to lift communities in his home country, to his post-playing career appearances in pop culture, the finger-wagging Mutombo became known for more than his ability to block a shot though he was good at that, too.

Here are five moments that endeared Mutombo to the world.

The finger wag Mutombos ability to send shot attempts into the seats differentiated him.

And once he blocked a shot, he made sure his opponent, along with everyone else in the arena, was aware of it.

Take this regular-season game in 1997.

Mutombo, then with the Atlanta Hawks , swatted three consecutive Philadelphia 76ers shots.

He followed each one with a finger wag as the game continued.

The celebration became his signature, a reminder and warning to other players about what was coming when they entered the paint.

No, no, no! On this day in 1997...

Dikembe Mutombo had 3 straight blocks and broke out the finger wag.

#NBAVault #NBA75 pic.twitter.com/dgOYwXuLXr NBA History (@NBAHistory) April 9, 2022 Mutombos 3,289 career blocks trailed only Hall of Famer Hakeem Olajuwon for most in league history.

He led the NBA in blocks per game from 1994 to 1996.

Mutombo told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution in 2015 that the finger wag evolved from a head shake.

I used to block so many shots and, if you look at some of my video, I would just shake my head, Mutombo said then.

It seems like guys were not getting it.

I was asking for respect.

Even to my rookie days, I said I had to come up with something.

Shaking my head was not working.

Maybe telling them to their eyes, Hey, do not bring this the message registered to their brain.

It worked.

Guys like Shawn Kemp and Vince Carter, they still thought they could bring it.

They helped me break the NBA record.

I thank each one of them.

Banter and run-ins with Michael Jordan The highest form of respect from Michael Jordan was his desire to compete against you and ultimately defeat you.

In this behind-the-scenes footage before an All-Star Game, Jordan told Mutombo that he had already climbed to the top of Mount Mutombo and dunked on him.

Be for real, Mutombo said.

You havent gotten me yet.

Advertisement I havent gotten you recently, Jordan told Mutombo.

Mutombo looked for anyone near him in the training room to validate his position.

Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing, famously been dunked on by Jordan himself, chimed in.

He never dunked on you? He never put you on a highlight? Ewing questioned Mutombo.

Whats clear is Jordan eventually did dunk on him during a matchup in Atlanta in 1997.

Jordan drove baseline and Mutombo was too late off his feet to offer a legitimate contest, and Jordan did what he had done to countless defenders throughout his career.

To make matters worse for Mutombo, Jordan wagged his finger in Mutombos face.

Funding a hospital back home In his post-playing career, Mutombo became known for his humanitarian efforts.

In 2007, the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation helped built the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Mutombo gave $15 million to the $29 million project, and the hospital was named for his mother.

In 2022, the foundation announced that in its 15 years of existence, the hospital helped over one million patients.

"I got sick and tired of seeing how many people were dying in the continent of Africa." @officialmutombo discusses building a hospital in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

pic.twitter.com/Ku2foqGX08 NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 10, 2021 Mutombo began his foundation in 1997 after his mother passed away.

His foundation also created the Samuel Mutombo Institute of Science and Entrepreneurship named for his father in Mbuji-Mayi, Democratic Republic of the Congo in 2021.

Not in my house! Offices, laundromats, grocery stores no place was spared from Mutombos ability to swat items out of mid-air in a Geico commercial that aired frequently in 2013.

Mutombo showed off his fun-loving side and distinct laugh throughout the 30-second advertisement as he blocked balled-up pieces of paper, cereal boxes and even change at a toll booth.

Four years after Mutombos playing career ended, it introduced him to another generation, and the premise of the commercial was that people are as happy to sign up for Geico insurance as Mutombo was to block shots.

Advertisement Mutombo also had a computer game made in his likeness in 2012 in coordination with Old Spice deodorant.

Dikembe Mutombos 4 1/2 Weeks to Save the World was an 8-bit-style game set in 2012, with the goal of saving the world from doom on Dec.

21, 2012, as predicted by the Mayan calendar.

Taking down No.

1 The 1993-94 Denver Nuggets went just 42-40 in the regular season, but that was good enough for the eighth seed in the Western Conference in Mutombos third season in the league.

Led by Mutombo, though, Denver came together to upset the No.

1 seed Seattle Supersonics in five games, including a 98-94 win in the decisive Game 5 in Seattle.

Mutombo averaged 12.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and 6.2 blocks swatting 37 total in five games.

As the final horn sounded on the series-clinching win, Mutombo fell to the floor and held the basketball in the air in jubilation.

Overall, the series changed my life, Mutombo told Bleacher Report in 2014 .

It gave me a sense of belief that if you have a strong will and if you have a strong faith, you can accomplish what you want, and you can overcome any obstacle.

You have to stretch your mind and keep going forward, and I did it in so many ways and so many areas.

(Photo: Streeter Lecka / Getty Images).

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