The deep resonating voice, an iconic finger wag, and a larger-than-life personality are who Dikembe Mutombo truly was. The news of his recent passing due to brain cancer shook the league during media day. Around the league, he was revered for his on and off-court accolades, especially his gentle demeanor which opposed his 7’2″ shadow. But very few got the chance to truly know and get guidance from him. 76ers’ Daryl Morey and Joel Embiid were among them.

The criticized GM first met the imposing center during his debut stint with the Houston Rockets. Morey, due to his inexperience, would often lean on Mutombo in times of help. Sadly, he only found out about the NBA legend’s passing during the press conference today. Visibly emotional, the 52-year-old reminisced on the times he did share with the shot-blocking phenom.

“Just a great human being,” Morey described him. “Just amazing human being. What he did off the court for Africa. So anyway, rest in peace Dikembe,”

The sadness was different for someone like Joel Embiid. Hailing from Cameroon, Mutombo served as a beacon of hope and prosperity for him. Before Embiid, his spirit was infectious in the city of Philadelphia. Furthermore, his work as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador and through NBA Cares inspired The Process. Viewing him as a “role model” the former MVP wishes to emulate his indelible impact.

“He’s one of the guys I look up to as far as having an impact not just on the court but off the court. He’s done a lot of great things. He did a lot of great things for a lot of people. That’s a role model of mine and like I said it is a sad day,” Joel Embiid said.

The large looming legacy of Dikembe Mutombo

On the court, the 7’2″ presence of Dikembe Mutombo was impossible to miss. He manned the paint single-handedly, claiming a record four DPOY awards in his illustrious 18-year reign. He remained a haunting presence and displayed impeccable mastery inside the small paint. Going in there was almost forbidden as the large hands of Mutombo would smack shots long into the crowds.

The iconic finger wag would follow suit. However, that was only the con-court brilliance of what Mutombo did using his platform as an NBA giant. As Masai Uriji rightfully remembers, “As big as his big shoes were, as big as his hands were … his heart was bigger”.

The 58-year-old has a heart made out of gold. His compassion and generosity are what made him an unforgettable figure in the NBA. In Congo, his homeland, he used his Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to build a community hospital, Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital. He would also often get his hands mixed in initiatives that help uplift communities, help the youth, and even raise health awareness in Africa. Particularly, in his will to improve education in Africa, he unveiled the Samuel Mutombo Institute Of Science in Mbuji Mayi while also building a basketball court in the city.

As a budding center, Karl-Anthony Towns too remembers him as one of the great players but more so for his societal efforts. “We lost not only one of the best basketball players ever, but one of the best human beings we have ever seen. Huge loss for the world and the NBA family. Rest in peace” he wrote in his tweet.

As part of the Basketball Without Borders initiative of the NBA, Mutombo would visit several countries and aid in basketball camps. For his plethora of humanitarian works, Harvard University Medical School even presented him with an award recognizing his efforts in bettering the community. The Nuggets legend also served on the board of the Special Olympics, setting up the platform in Congo in 2017, a dream he had for years.

As large and mean as he was when blocking shots, Dikembe Mutombo was tender-hearted with space for anyone who needed his help. His legacy will be remembered for his inspiring character. He was an attraction as a basketball player and away from it, Mutombo strived to make the world a better place.