Farewell Mutumbo.

[rickortreat]

Dikembe retired from the NBA after hurting his knee last night.  He went from City to City a tall, journeyman Center, who showed how needed a 7' player can be. 

He was one of the more interesting characters in the league, he will be missed.

[msc]

Here, here.  Nice post, rickortreat.  I completely agree with your sentiment. 

Mutumbo was a very interesting and entertaining asset to the NBA.  Even more importantly, he was, and no doubt will continue to be, a huge asset to humanity.  His selfless contributions of both his time and money are second to none among NBA players.  I know all of the NBA is good about charitable work, but Mutumbo has continually gone above and beyond in his charitable work domestically and in his native continent. 

I always got a kick out of this guy.  Whether it was joking about the fact that no one really knows his true age, or watching that signature finger waive after a blocked shot.  If it were any other player, I know that finger waive would turn me off, but something about the guy is so genuine and it just seems to come from good natured place.  Only he could pull that off, and I think the refs and opponents let it slide just because he was such a good guy. 

I'll never forget the image of him lying on his back clutching the basketball in celebration when Denver upset (was it Seattle?? WOW, I need help here, way too much crack intake) in the first round of the playoffs.  He also was a huge factor in the 76ers team that Iverson led to the NBA finals in 2000.   

A great career for a great man.  He will truly be missed.

[rickortreat]

Did you ever hear him talk? He has the deeepest voice I've ever heard, makes James Earl Jones sound like a lightweight by comparison.

There's so much to say about the man, but NBA writers do a much better job then I ever could. His full name is like 7 names stitched together, he once took out a Lion with a spear...

[ziggy]

Did you ever hear him talk? He has the deeepest voice I've ever heard, makes James Earl Jones sound like a lightweight by comparison.

There's so much to say about the man, but NBA writers do a much better job then I ever could. His full name is like 7 names stitched together, he once took out a Lion with a spear...

Actually the legend was that it was Manute Bol that took out the lion with the spear.

[WayOutWest]

I'll never forget the image of him lying on his back clutching the basketball in celebration when Denver upset (was it Seattle?? WOW, I need help here, way too much crack intake) in the first round of the playoffs.  He also was a huge factor in the 76ers team that Iverson led to the NBA finals in 2000.   

It was Seattle, Deke totally intimidated the "Rain Man".  Deke is unique, I think they guy speaks like 5 or more languages and his charitable contributions are more like Mother Teresa than your typical contributor.  He actually spends time, not just money, on his causes, so much so that he's caught more than one exotic disease/infection durring his run.  Unlike most, I never considered Deke dirty, just dangerously akward.  I followed Deke since his days playing along side Zo and scaring the shizzle out of UNLV.

[msc]

Did you ever hear him talk? He has the deeepest voice I've ever heard, makes James Earl Jones sound like a lightweight by comparison.

There's so much to say about the man, but NBA writers do a much better job then I ever could. His full name is like 7 names stitched together, he once took out a Lion with a spear...

Oh yeah, he sounds like the cookie-monster ... cooookiieeee!  Howard Stern used to always joke about that when they'd play the sound clips from the playoff press conferences.  Too funny.  

I had never heard the lion story.  But I did hear a funny story back in the day on I think the Jim Rome show.  Apparently, when he was at Georgetown he was this larger than life character on campus.  I guess he would walk in to one of the bars near campus and upon arrival to the crowded bar packed with coeds he'd shout, "who wants to sex Mutumbo?!".  Just the thought of that with his deep voice cracks me up.  

[Skandery]

I'll never forget the image of him lying on his back clutching the basketball in celebration when Denver upset (was it Seattle?? WOW, I need help here, way too much crack intake) in the first round of the playoffs.

It was Seattle, Deke totally intimidated the "Rain Man". 

I hate you!  I hate you all!!  . . . and Robert Pack, too.

His full name is like 7 names stitched together

Do you mean:  Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean Jacques WaMutombo. 

It's alright, WOW, one day you're b-ball knowledge may begin to start to approach mine.

Mutombo is a fantastic individual and one of the few genuine guys around.  He had an awkward career track, though.  His first year out of the gate remained his best and by far most statistically significant year of his long career.  He rightly won Rookie of the Year but he never quite regained that form, most especially offensively.

[WayOutWest]

It's alright, WOW, one day you're b-ball knowledge may begin to start to approach mine.

"...you're..."? What ever, I stopped reading after that egregious error....

[westkoast]

Everyone has pretty much said why Mutumbo is a great person and a great player.

I wonder what is next for him now he has retired from basketball.  He's been playing ball for most of my life it seems like LOL!  Would be great if the NBA started to expand their NBA Cares arm all over the world alongside their global promotion of the game itself.  Mutumbo would be a great person to have to lead that.

[JoMal]

Did you ever hear him talk? He has the deeepest voice I've ever heard, makes James Earl Jones sound like a lightweight by comparison.

There's so much to say about the man, but NBA writers do a much better job then I ever could. His full name is like 7 names stitched together, he once took out a Lion with a spear...

Actually the legend was that it was Manute Bol that took out the lion with the spear.

After watching the Lions play last year, that is not saying much.

[JoMal]

Did you ever hear him talk? He has the deeepest voice I've ever heard, makes James Earl Jones sound like a lightweight by comparison.

There's so much to say about the man, but NBA writers do a much better job then I ever could. His full name is like 7 names stitched together, he once took out a Lion with a spear...

Oh yeah, he sounds like the cookie-monster ... cooookiieeee!  Howard Stern used to always joke about that when they'd play the sound clips from the playoff press conferences.  Too funny.  

I had never heard the lion story.  But I did hear a funny story back in the day on I think the Jim Rome show.  Apparently, when he was at Georgetown he was this larger than life character on campus.  I guess he would walk in to one of the bars near campus and upon arrival to the crowded bar packed with coeds he'd shout, "who wants to sex Mutumbo?!".  Just the thought of that with his deep voice cracks me up.  

I also hear he blocked everyone's shots lined up on the bar every night.

[JoMal]

Everyone has pretty much said why Mutumbo is a great person and a great player.

I wonder what is next for him now he has retired from basketball.  He's been playing ball for most of my life it seems like LOL!  Would be great if the NBA started to expand their NBA Cares arm all over the world alongside their global promotion of the game itself.  Mutumbo would be a great person to have to lead that.

He could follow Vlade Divac's post basketball career path and not go wrong. He is now something like the cultural liaison person in the Serbian government, which includes promoting basketball players internationally.

[jn]

It's amazing that someone 7'2" was able to play for so many years.  While the finger wag always annoyed me there is no denying he has a big heart.  I hope his philanthropic endeavors succeed.