NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo dies at 58 after battle with brain cancer

Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer that person was 1 of nan champion protect players successful NBA history and a longtime world ambassador for nan game, died Monday aft a conflict alongside encephalon cancer, nan convention announced. He was 58.

His family revealed 2 years agone that he was undergoing therapy successful Atlanta for a encephalon tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.

"Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. "On nan court, he was 1 of nan top changeable blockers and protect players successful nan history of nan NBA. Off nan floor, he poured his bosom and psyche into helping others."

Mutombo spent 18 seasons successful nan NBA, playing for nan Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Houston Rockets, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks and nan then-New Jersey Nets. The 7-foot-2 halfway retired of Georgetown was an eight-time All-Star, four-time protect subordinate of nan year, three-time All-NBA action and went into nan Hall of Fame successful 2015 aft averaging 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per crippled for his career.

Mutombo past played during nan 2008-09 season, devoting his long aft status to charitable and humanitarian causes. He said 9 languages and founded nan Dikembe Mutombo Foundation successful 1997, concentrating connected improving health, acquisition and value of life for nan group successful nan Congo.

Mutombo served connected nan boards of galore organizations, including Special Olympics International, nan CDC Foundation and nan National Board for nan U.S. Fund for UNICEF.

"There was cipher much qualified than Dikembe to service arsenic nan NBA's first Global Ambassador," Silver said. "He was a humanitarian astatine his core. He loved that nan crippled of hoops could do to make a affirmative effect connected communities, particularly successful his autochthonal Democratic Republic of nan Congo and crossed nan continent of Africa."

Reporting by The Associated Press.