A 7-foot, 2-inch shot-blocking, finger-wagging machine whose affability and philanthropy made him one of basketball's most beloved figures, Hall of Fame center and former Houston Rocket Dikembe Mutombo died Monday of brain cancer at age 58, according to reports.
Born in the Republic of Congo in 1966 and starring in college with Georgetown University, Mutombo was drafted fourth overall in the 1991 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets and immediately made an impact with his imposing, athletic defensive skill near the rim. Nicknamed "Mount Mutombo" because of his towering presence, he spent five seasons with Denver, four-and-a-half with the Atlanta Hawks and one-and-a-half with the Philadelphia 76ers, racking up four NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards, along with eight NBA all-star appearances.