The Atlanta Hawks will dedicate this Monday, November 25 game to Dikembe Mutombo, who died on September 30, 2024 of a brain tumor. Players and fans will pay a final tribute to the NBA star and remember him by repeating the legendary “No, No, No” signature.
>> NBA: death of former Congolese player Dikembe Mutombo
| Atlanta Hawks center Dikembe Mutombo raises his arms in the air after a Hawks basket during the second half of their NBA playoff game against the Detorit Pistons in Atlanta on Monday, May 10 1999. Photo: AP/VNA/CVN |
Two months after the death of the huge Congolese player, Dikembe Mutombo, his team has not forgotten him. The Atlanta Hawks announced an on-field tribute this Monday, November 25. “Monday’s match is for Dikembe“, announced the club on its X account. “To honor Mutombo we will have a new on-field sticker and special pre-match t-shirts“, he continued, specifying that his legendary signature “No, No, No“, will be broadcast throughout the arena after the blocks.
“While we are deeply saddened by the passing of Dikembe Mutombo, we are honored to use our match on November 25 as a platform to honor Dikembe” said Steve Koonin, general manager of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena. “The Hawks family is committed to preserving his legacy and celebrating the impact he made on and off the field, a true testament to his character and sportsmanship“.
An “all star” inside and outside the field
At the age of 58, the basketball player had left a great career behind him. In total, he had played for six different teams over no less than eighteen seasons. The man nicknamed “Mount Mutombo” took to the floor alongside the best players in the NBA eight times during the “All-star Game”. Four times “best defender” of the season, Dikembe Mutombo has also won the title of “best blocker” three times and twice that of “best rebounder”.
But the exploits of this machine, 2.18 meters high, can also be counted off the field. Dikembe Mutombo dedicated a significant part of his life to improving the quality of life of the people of his home country, DR Congo. In 1997, he created the foundation that bears his name and through which he worked for the education and health of the Congolese. He, who dreamed of becoming a doctor, ultimately helped save lives by donating $15 million to finance the construction of the Biamba-Marie-Mutombo hospital, inaugurated in 2006, in Kinshasa.
On match night, fans are encouraged to donate to the Dikembe Mutombo Memorial Fund”in order to contribute to the causes (…) to which Mutombo devoted his life“, we can read on the NBA website. The family of the “all star” thanked the Hawks for their gesture. “Your tribute to Dikembe’s incredible career with the Hawks, as well as his humanitarian work in Atlanta and around the world, is very important to us. Dikembe had a special bond with the Hawks and its devoted fans. Thank you for making his stay in Atlanta truly special and memorable“, declared the Mutombo family in a press release. Those close to the basketball star signed the text, quoting it: “Our legacy in life is the race, and this race is not over, we just need to pass the torch“.
AFP/VNA/CVN
