When the NBA shared in a statement that Dikembe Mutombo was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor, fans weighed in.
A collective wave of shock was felt across social media for a beloved NBA Hall-of-Famer Dikembe Mutombo, known as much for his wagging right index finger, as he is for his generosity, when it was revealed he is in a fight for his life.
When the NBA shared in a statement that Mutombo was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor, fans weighed in.
“Just wanted to take a minute and wish the best to Dikembe Mutombo who’s been diagnosed with a brain tumour. Kick its ass Dikembe,” one fan wrote.
“Thoughts with Dikembe Mutombo and his family as he’s undergoing treatment for a brain tumor….remember the time in 2018 when he flew an 8-year-old boy from the Democratic Republic of Congo to L.A. to pay for his tumor removal,” said another.
In the statement, league officials shared that Mutombo is “receiving the best care possible from a collaborative team of specialists in Atlanta and is in great spirits as he begins treatment. "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."
The towering 56-year-old, notorious for his fierce defense, had an NBA playing career that stretched across 18 seasons. He had stints on the Atlanta Hawks, New York Knicks, the then New Jersey Nets and Houston Rockets. He retired in 2008.
But that’s when his other work continued. ESPN reports that Mutombo, who speaks nine languages, founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997 with a goal of improving quality of life issues, including health and education in the Congo. His foundation built a hospital in Kinshasa, which to date has treated more than half a million people to date, no matter their ability to pay.
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