NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo dies at the age of 58

Dikembe Mutombo, a basketball Hall of Famer who was known during his career for wagging his finger after blocking a shot, has died, the NBA announced Monday. He was 58.

The league said Mutombo died after a battle with brain cancer.

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Former NBA player Dikembe Mutombo before the game between the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens at NRG Stadium in Houston on December 21, 2014. (Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports)

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in NBA history. Off the field, he put his heart and soul into helping others.”

Silver remembered Mutombo for his charitable deeds in his homeland, the Democratic Republic of Congo and across Africa. He was the league's first global ambassador.

“Dikembe’s indomitable spirit lives on in those he helped and inspired throughout his extraordinary life,” Silver added. “I am one of the many people whose lives were touched by Dikembe’s big heart and I will miss him greatly. On behalf of the entire NBA family, I send my deepest condolences to Dikembe's wife Rose and their children, as well as his many friends. and the global basketball community that he truly loves and that loves him back.”

Mutombo was a top defensive player at Georgetown and took over the central role when Patrick Ewing moved to the NBA. He once blocked 12 shots in a single game. He was a two-time winner of the Big East Defensive Player of the Year, sharing it with teammate Alonzo Mourning in 1991.

The Denver Nuggets selected the 7-foot-2 Mutombo with the No. 4 overall pick, and he would only get better as a defender. He taunted his opponent after blocking his shot with a wave of his finger. It became his trademark throughout his career.

Former NBA player Dikembe Mutombo watches the game between the Georgetown Hoyas and the St. John's Red Storm at the Verizon Center on February 12, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports)

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“At first I shook my head and told people, 'In the house of Mutombo, man cannot fly.' I felt like I was a boss, I was the boss, and no one could come into the paint shop unless they knocked on the door and asked permission to come in,” he told GQ in 2009.

“I felt that for so long and there weren’t that many people drinking Dikembe Mutombo. I don’t remember what year, but I soon had the feeling that finger waving would be a great trademark.”

Mutombo was with the Nuggets when they became the first No. 8 seed to defeat a No. 1 seed in the 1994 NBA playoffs against the Seattle SuperSonics. In another iconic moment, he landed on the deck after Game 5 and held the ball above his head while exuding an incredible amount of emotion.

No matter where he was, his great defensive play continued.

After the Nuggets stint, he played for the Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets. He played in the NBA during the 2008-09 season.

Phoenix Suns center Shaquille O'Neal, #32, is defended by Houston Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo, #55, on March 22, 2008 at the US Airways Center in Phoenix. (Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)

Tributes to Mutombo poured in on social media.

He finished his career as an eight-time All-Star, four-time Defensive Player of the Year and three-time blocks leader. He averaged 2.8 blocks over the course of his career. He ranks second for most blocks all-time with 3,289.

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Mutombo was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

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