Despite arriving at the 76ers at 34 years, and playing less than two seasons, Dikembe Mutombo left his mark in the hearts of Philadelphia fans. Many legends of the game and other celebrities spoke highly about the impact of the Georgetown alum after the sad demise. Now that Allen Iverson has shared his thoughts, some netizens can’t resist questioning the timing. But the smart and loyal fans of Mutombo and Iverson made sure to give an apt reality check.

AI has been the team’s biggest fan since they traded for the iconic, finger-wagging center. “See you when I get there Big Bro,” wrote Iverson along with a photo of 2015 Naismith Hall of Fame inductee Dikembe Mutombo hugging him on his Instagram. The moment was after the victory in game 1 of their NBA Eastern Conference Finals against the Milwaukee Bucks. The 76ers won the game 93-85 and made it to the NBA finals that season where they eventually lost to the Lakers.

“I’d be lying to you all if I didn’t say this guy could help us win a championship,” Allen Iverson was on board with the 4x DPOY coming to their team. “He’s a rebounder, he’s an intimidator, he can change the game all by himself, offensively and defensively.” In the span of three and a half months, Dikembe Mutombo’s contribution and the 76ers’ run in the finals are among the cherished memories for the fans. During the playoffs, he contributed with 13.9 points, and 13.7 rebounds and led the league in postseason with 3.1 blocks.

After three and a half months, Iverson’s words could not have loomed larger. The Sixers were in the NBA Finals in 2001, riding mostly on the shoulders of their recruit, standing literally like Mount Mutombo. His effect on both sides of the court, especially on defense, could have been missed. That run, which was the 76ers’ last NBA finals trip to date, was fondly remembered by many of the fans after the news of Mutombo’s death of brain cancer at the age of 58 came to light. Some stats will tell you how he was instrumental in the uptick of the 76ers’ team play in the 2001 playoffs.

With Dikembe on the court, Philly’s net rating was +1.5 points per 100 possessions, which dropped to -10.1 without him in the game. No other player had such a huge effect on the team’s overall play. That 11.6-point boost in net rating was mostly based on defense, where the Sixers showed a staggering 14.1 points uptick per 100 of defensive efficiency with Mutombo present on the court.

This was probably because Mutombo was the ultimate safety net behind Iverson, who had a tendency to freelance and gamble around for steals. With Mutombo behind him, Iverson recorded a steal on 2.8% of opponent possessions in the 2001 playoffs, almost double his 1.5% rate from the previous year’s postseason.

Beyond basketball, the 3x blocks leader made an immense contribution, especially to his native of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where he started his own charitable trust to help improve the living conditions of the people. That’s why even Charles Barkley suggested, “We need to have an award in Dikembe’s name where we recognize somebody’s charity work.” When a few fans tried to mock Allen Iverson for his timing, the majority of the internet supported AI.

Fans roar in numbers to protect Allen Iverson’s honor for Dikembe Mutombo

NBA’s PR page on X first stated the news of Dikembe Mutombo passing away at the age of 58. The news of him passing away because of brain cancer shook the league during media day, and 76ers GM Daryl Morey was caught off guard and appeared visibly emotional. So, today when AI poured his heart out to his former teammate, few netizens had a problem.

When comments like, “🙌🔥🔥 I was wondering when u gonna post him..🙌,” and “Finally u post this…😢,” started pouring in, they somewhat demeaned the bond that the former 76ers legend shared. But the supporters were quick enough to come to the rescue of Allen Iverson during the tough time. “Here come the ppl saying what took so long? 😑 everyone mourns a loss a different way.”

Despite playing just 105 games together, both had immense respect for each other. Once Dikembe Mutombo even appreciated AI’s passion, “He had something burning inside of him that made him believe he was unstoppable.” Both also attended Georgetown under the mentorship of coach John Thompson Jr. That’s why another fan rightfully bashed the critics questioning the timing, as they wrote, “Trying to tell someone who actually KNEW him in REAL LIFE how to mourn? Go touch grass yall.”

During that 23-game postseason run alongside teammate Allen Iverson, Mutombo’s contributions were immense. In the five finals games, Mutombo played even bigger, averaging 16.8 points, 12.2 rebounds, and two blocks per game. And one fan remembered that 2001 journey and wrote, “You two made the 2001 season magical 💯💪🏾 I was a 12 year old kid in awe of you and the run you guys made.” When he retired in 2009, he had blocked 3,289 shots and was behind only Hakeem Olajuwon in league history. That’s why fans want no slander in the name of Mutombo as they want Allen Iverson to mourn a loss in peace.