Dikembe Mutombo undergoing treatment for brain tumor
Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo is being treated for a brain tumor, the NBA on Saturday said in a statement on behalf of Mutombo and his family.
"He is receiving the best care possible from a collaborative team of specialists in Atlanta and is in great spirits as he begins treatment,” the statement said. "Dikembe and his family ask for privacy during this time so they can focus on his care. They are grateful for your prayers and good wishes."
Mutombo, 56, spent a good portion of his career with the Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks and retired following the 2008-09 season. In his 18-year career, he was an eight-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA performer, six-time All-Defense selection and four-time Defensive Player of the Year.
Mutombo didn’t start playing basketball until he was 17 and played college basketball at Georgetown for legendary coach John Thompson. He established himself as one of the game’s premier defensive players with his rebounding (10.3 per game for his career, including league-bests 14.1 and 13.5 in 1990-2000 and 2000-2001) and shot blocking (2.8 per game for his career, including a league-high 4.5 in 1995-96).
Following his playing career, Mutombo embarked on humanitarian missions, specifically in his native Democratic Republic of Congo where he built a hospital, helped people with cataract surgery and knee replacement surgery and arranged for thousands of free cervical and breast cancer screenings for women. He is in the process of building a high school in Congo with a focus on medicine and science.
“Helping others is a family tradition,” Mutombo told USA TODAY Sports in 2018. “I’m carrying on a legacy that was passed on from my grandparents to my parents and to us. It represents where I came from. It represents my people, as we call it the Luba people. I’m glad I’m doing a good job for them.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said: "Our thoughts and prayers are with Dikembe, one of the world’s great humanitarians.”
Follow NBA reporter Jeff Zillgitt on Twitter @JeffZillgitt
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dikembe Mutombo, former NBA All-Star, being treated for brain tumor
