The basketball star was remembered for his accomplishments on and off the court.
Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was known for his defensive prowess, died Monday from brain cancer aged 58, according to an announcement from the NBA.
Soon after the news broke about his passing, fond tributes to Mutombo from around the league were shared.
Pau Gasol, who was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame last year, remembered the native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo as a “force for good.”
“I was very sad to hear about Dikembe Mutombo’s passing. Dikembe was not only great on the court, but a force for good off it, admired and loved by those who got to know him”, Gasol wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “His smile, his values and his dedication to basketball, as well as to helping others, will never be forgotten. My thoughts are with his family and his loved ones at this very difficult time. May he rest in peace.”
Mutombo began treatment for a brain tumor two years ago, according to this family, and the NBA on Monday said his family surrounded him as he died.
