The Georgetown University community is mourning the loss of Dikembe Mutombo, a former All-American basketball player who went on to have a distinguished career in the NBA and was recognized for his humanitarian efforts. Mutombo, who served on the Georgetown University Board of Directors from 2017 to 2023, passed away on September 30 at the age of 58 due to brain cancer.
“Dikembe Mutombo was the embodiment of the spirit of Georgetown,” stated Joseph Ferrara, Georgetown University’s Vice President. He highlighted Mutombo’s impressive basketball career and his relentless work in retirement to enhance the lives of others, expressing deep condolences on behalf of the university community to Mutombo’s family and friends.
During his time at Georgetown, Mutombo was a two-time All-BIG EAST selection and earned BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year honors twice. He averaged 15.2 points, 12.2 rebounds, and 4.7 blocks during his senior year in 1991, when he received accolades such as First Team All-BIG EAST and Third Team All-America. The Hoyas, with Mutombo’s help, captured a BIG EAST regular season title and the tournament title in 1989, and reached the NCAA Elite Eight that same year. Mutombo was later named to Georgetown’s “All Century Team” in 2007 and remains high on the all-time lists for blocked shots and rebounds. He was inducted into the Georgetown Athletics Hall of Fame in 2012 and received recognition for his college athletic career in 2016 with the NCAA Silver Anniversary Award.
Mutombo had an extensive NBA career spanning 18 seasons, culminating in his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. Known as “Mount Mutombo,” he won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award four times and was an eight-time All-Star. He still ranks second in NBA career blocks and led the league in rebounding twice. His jersey number has been retired by both the Atlanta Hawks and the Denver Nuggets.
In addition to his on-court achievements, Mutombo was honored with the NBA’s J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award twice for his community service and was appointed as the league’s first Global Ambassador in 2009. He received numerous accolades for his humanitarian efforts, including the NBA and Turner’s Sager Strong Award in 2018 and the Naismith Hall of Fame’s Mannie Jackson – Basketball’s Human Spirit Award in 2007.
After retiring from professional basketball, Mutombo focused on advocacy, aiming to improve health services and educational opportunities for those in need. He founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, which has worked to enhance the quality of life for people in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. One of the foundation’s significant projects was the construction of the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital in Kinshasa, which opened in 2007 and has since treated nearly 200,000 individuals.
Mutombo was also involved with numerous organizations and served on the boards of various non-profits, contributing his expertise and leadership to many causes. Lee Reed, the Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, reflected on Mutombo’s impact at Georgetown, emphasizing how he will be remembered not just for his basketball skills but also for his role as a father, mentor, and leader in humanitarian efforts. Mutombo received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Georgetown in 2010, further solidifying his legacy within the university community.