The Big Lead

Remembering Dikembe Mutombo's greatest moment after Hall of Famer's passing

By Joe Lago

Sep 10, 2022; Springfield, MA, USA; Dikembe Mutombo at the 2022 Basketball Hall of Fame at Symphony Hall. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Sep 10, 2022; Springfield, MA, USA; Dikembe Mutombo at the 2022 Basketball Hall of Fame at Symphony Hall. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
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Dikembe Mutombo passed away at the age of 58 from brain cancer Monday, prompting tributes to the Hall of Fame center from around the NBA during team media days.

Jason Kidd called the four-time Defensive Player of the Year "a forced to be reckoned with in all of the best ways." Joel Embiid said the Hall of Fame center "was even better off the court" with his humanitarian efforts. LeBron James fondly recounted his Mutombo rookie encounter after taking one of his elbows.

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Of course, Mutombo will forever be remembered for his trademark finger wag. The 7-foot-2 shot blocker would wave his right index finger at opponents for wrongfully believing they could score against him much less get a shot over him.

However, Mutombo's most memorable moment isn't soaring high to block a shot. It's video of him laying down on the court and clutching a basketball in utter disbelief.

In 1994, Mutombo and the Denver Nuggets entered the Western Conference playoffs as the eighth seed. They beat long odds to eliminate the top-seeded Seattle SuperSonics in their first-round playoff series, overcoming a 2-0 series deficit to advance with a Game 5 victory on the road.

At game's end, Mutombo laid on the Seattle Center Coliseum floor with the ball raised over him in celebration. It's the highlight that is played whenever the eight-time All-Star is discussed on NBA shows.

The No. 4 overall pick of the 1991 NBA Draft played for six teams during his 18-year career, and he remains second on the all-time blocked shots list with 3,289 behind Hakeem Olajuwon's 3,830. His menacing presence on the court and pleasant persona off it will always define who Mutombo was, but that 1994 celebration is the iconic memory of one of the league's most popular gentle giants.

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