The Basketball world lost one of the game’s greatest players yesterday, NBA Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo. He lost his two-year battle with brain cancer at the age of 58. Although the loss of Mutombo saddens us, whether you remember him from his early Mt. Mutombo days in Denver, his signature finger wave or the numerous Geico commercials, he left us with countless memories as hoops fans on and off the court.
Mutombo was the fourth pick in the 1991 NBA Draft out of Georgetown University. He was a product of legendary head coach John Thompson’s crop of Hoya centers, who made their presence known in the paint. Mutombo played 18 seasons in the NBA and was an eight-time All-Star. He led the league in blocks and rebounds for multiple seasons during his NBA career, further cementing himself as one of basketball’s most elite shot blockers and defenders.
As much as we marvel at Dikembe Mutombo’s talent on the basketball court, his legacy off of the court is rooted in giving back and providing those around him with joy and laughter. Toronto Raptors president Masai Ujiri was verklempt speaking to the press during Toronto Raptors media day about the death of Mutombo, stating, “He made us who we are. That guy is a giant, an incredible person…who are we without Dikembe Mutombo? He did so much for us and the continent of Africa.” Ujiri’s remarks shed light on Mutombo’s philanthropy and international impact as a humanitarian. He established the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation and opened the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital in Kinshasa, DRC.
Mike Golic Jr., Mike Golic Sr. and Charlotte Wilder, co-host of Oddball with Amin Elhassan, discussed Mutombo’s life and legacy on Tuesday’s edition of GoJo and Golic.
Wilder talked about how Mutombo was funny and a delight to be around. Typically, when people die, it is a sad time, but he should be remembered instead for the joy that he brought to the people around him. Senior added that in this day and age, with social media, we have an inside look into the lives of athletes, and we get to see some of the good and bad. With Mutombo, Senior shares that he was all good and a genuine person to be around. He added Mutombo showed that he cared about the world around him not by him saying he cared but through his action.
GoJo shared the more entertaining and humourous side of Mutombo, alluding to a specific appearance on Highly Questionable, where Dan Le Batard and Bomani Jones playfully asked him about the famous urban legend about what would happen when Mutombo would walk into a club. He immediately said, laughing, I know where this is going and vehemently denied the account; ironically, this was when social media was not as prevalent, and we, as fans, did not have as much access to our favorite players and their personal lives. Regardless of the truth behind the story, it shows how much he is delighted by humorous folklore about himself. GoJo highlighted Mutombo’s incredible range and the fact that he was a round character who brought light and levity to everything he did. Which Charlotte says is a testment to Mutombo – he’s gone, but he will live on in our memories. It’s how you keep people alive, she said. Everything he brought was light and it was uplifting and it was beautiful.
Dikembe Mutombo’s death serves as a potent reminder that life is precious. While achieving great things is admirable, it’s not the accolades or awards that truly matter. What truly counts is the way we make others feel. The greater our positive impact on people, the more meaningful our legacy becomes.
Watch or listen to the full show below and tune into GoJo and Golic weekday mornings from 8-10 a.m. ET on DraftKings Network! See more about how to watch DraftKings Network here.
SHOW BREAKDOWN
Hour 1: MNF Recap — Lions Win But Geno’s Seahawks Impress & Po’ Titans/Dolphins Game + Remembering Pete Rose and Eyeing an SEC/Big Ten Partnership
Hour 2: Wilder Tuesdays – Charlotte on the Knicks Trading for Karl-Anthony Towns, Brady vs. Baker and Remembering Dikembe Mutombo
VIDEO
Watch GoJo and Golic every weekday on Samsung TV Plus, Roku, Xumo Play, Google TV and DraftKingsNetwork.com from 8 to 10 a.m. ET. The show is also available via audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow Mike Golic Sr. on X at @golic and Mike Golic Jr. on X at @mikegolicjr.
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