“Death is sometimes kinder than love,” this adage might be apt for the NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo who passed away a couple of hours ago, as per an announcement by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver. And as the NBA world tried to recover from the loss of the Hawks #55 on a windy night on Monday, the WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes came to the fore along with other NBA fans to reflect on his untimely passing.

“Not only did we lose a great basketball player, we lost a great human being. Dikembe, thank you for always being a true friend! Get your rest now brother,” Swoopes tweeted on X on Monday. The Hall of Famer had a peculiar coincidence in Atlanta, where he ultimately got his No. 55 jersey retired by the Hawks. This was the same place where he was undergoing treatment for the last two years as he was suffering from brain cancer. And now when the city had nothing to offer him anymore, it enveloped his woes in a setting surrounded by his family.

Though the 58-year-old had a challenging start to his life born in humble conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, he soon swept the world with his exceptional basketball skills. Now pair this with his humanitarian work for his birthplace and the Special Olympics, and you will find yourself looking for a perfect tale. However, not many know the profession that earned him so much respect and love wasn’t the first choice in his life.

The influence of his father was fairly visible in his life as his old man worked in the capacity of a school principal and then took over the duties in Congo’s Department of Education. Mutombo had a childhood rich with different cultures as he knew English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and five Central African languages. Initially, in the co-curricular activities, he took on football and martial arts. He attended Boboto College during school to tackle more difficult classes that would help him get closer to his aim of becoming a doctor.

Inspired by the love for his country, an intelligent Mutombo had resolved that he would become a doctor to serve the greater good. However, once he reached the USA at the age of 21 in 1987, something again that was heavily driven by his father, he had a major challenge: he didn’t speak English. Looking at the peculiar foreigner, the Georgetown Hoyas coach decided to make the best use of his 7’2 height and likely sway him toward basketball. And therefore when in 1991 Mutombo graduated, he found himself with the ability to block shots, and a bachelor’s degree in linguistics and diplomacy. However, as fate would decide, his love for basketball paved the way for him.

Years later after becoming a successful basketball player, Mutombo reflected on his initial goal: to serve his country. In order to do that, he donated $3.5 million of his earnings to build a hospital in Kinshasa, which earned him a lot of praise for not forgetting his roots. Therefore, when he passed away, the world had lost not only a hooping great but also a changemaker. And hence, social media was flooded with fans remembering the legendary blocker.

NBA world mourns Dikembe Mutombo’s loss

Apart from Swoopes, condolence messages poured in from different parts of the world. While the NBA Commissioner Adam Silver reflected on his life, he couldn’t control but admit that Mutombo was the best qualified “to serve as the NBA’s first Global Ambassador.” Also taking note of his humanitarian causes, Silver was all praises for the deceased.

The basketball legend Michael Jordan also paid condolences to Mutombo, expressing that he had changed the way defense was played in basketball. Plus, his extensive work for African nations would forever resonate with people.

”I am deeply saddened to hear about Dikembe’s passing. He was a defensive force on the court who changed the way the game of basketball is played. But more importantly, Dikembe truly changed the world and improved countless lives through his humanitarian work in Africa. I will especially miss hearing his booming laugh. My condolences to his wife, Rose, his children and his family,” Jordan stated.

Carmelo Anthony who had the privilege of sharing the same hardwood as the late center also came in with his words of condolences. He wrote, “You gave everything you had to the game but more importantly to your people. Your legacy lives on. Rest in Power Dikembe.”

Hopefully, people will be able to recover from such a big loss. And perhaps, for the time being, find refuge in their loved ones while mourning Mutombo. And may Mutombo’s family find strength in these tough times.