Latest news with #DikembeMutombo
USA Today
17-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Sixers star Dikembe Mutombo ranked No. 81 player in NBA history
Former Philadelphia 76ers star Dikembe Mutombo is one of the best defenders in the history of the NBA. Mutombo won Defensive Player of the Year four times in his career and blocked 2.8 shots per game in his 18-year career. He led the league in blocks three seasons in a row from 1993 through 1996. When the Sixers acquired Mutombo at the 2001 trade deadline, he gave them that defensive presence to push them to the finals. He averaged 11.7 points, 12.4 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks with Philadelphia after the trade on his way to winning his fourth and final DPOY award. He was an All-Star in his lone full season with the Sixers when he averaged 11.5 points and 10.8 rebounds along with 2.4 blocks per game. Bleacher Report ranked the top 100 players in the history of the NBA with Mutombo coming in ranked No. 81 on the list: One of only three players to collect four career DPOY awards, Mutombo dominated the interior during the late 1990s with the Nuggets and Hawks. And he was a key member of the early-2000s Philadelphia 76ers that made the NBA Finals. Though not much of an offensive threat, Mutombo was the premier shot-blocker of his day and left the lasting legacy of the finger-wag celebration after particularly rude swats. He ranks second behind Olajuwon on the all-time blocks list and checks in at No. 20 in career rebounds. Mutombo is a Hall of Famer who played for the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Sixers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, and Houston Rockets before retiring after the 2008-09 season. He passed away in September of 2024.
CTV News
27-06-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Masai Ujiri out as president of the Toronto Raptors: report
Toronto Raptors President Masai Ujiri reacts as he speaks about the death of Dikembe Mutombo in Toronto, Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young Masai Ujiri is out as president and vice chairman of the Toronto Raptors, ESPN is reporting, citing sources. Ujiri joined the team's front office in 2013 and led the NBA's sole Canadian franchise to its first-ever championship in 2019. The details surrounding Ujiri's departure were not immediately clear. Ujiri was entering the final year of his contract. CTV News has not yet been able to independently confirm the report. This is a breaking news story. More details to come.
Associated Press
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Celebration of Life Event Honoring NBA Legend Dikembe Mutombo
Atlanta, GA May 23, 2025 --( )-- This special event is free and open to everyone and will feature heartfelt speeches, moving tributes, and uplifting musical performances. Attendees are encouraged to embrace the event's spirit by wearing colorful clothing, including traditional or cultural attire. Event Details: What: Celebration of Life – NBA Legend Dikembe Mutombo When: Saturday, May 31, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. Where: McCamish Pavilion Arena, Georgia Tech Campus, 965 Fowler Street NW, Atlanta, GA Dikembe was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015 after 18 NBA seasons. A 4-time Defensive Player of the Year and 8-time All-Star, he was among the most impactful defensive players in NBA history. 'This celebration is not only a reflection of Dikembe's remarkable life but also a testament to the values he championed – faith, dignity, and service to humanity,' said Dikembe's wife Rose Mutombo. 'We welcome all who were touched by his life to join us in remembering and honoring him.' In a lasting tribute to Dikembe's impactful work, the Mutombo Family has established the Dikembe Mutombo Memorial Fund (DMMF) to ensure the continuation of his vital projects for years to come. Donations can be made through the following link: For media inquiries or further information, please contact [email protected] Media entrance at McCamish Pavilion (entrance area for Georgia Tech basketball games). All media must enter McCamish Pavilion (955 Fowler Street, NW) at the Mark Moon Family Entrance, which is located on the West side of McCamish Pavillion, across Fowler Street from the Ken Byers Tennis Center. Contact Information: The Mutombo Family Rose Mutombo Contact via Email Read the full story here: Celebration of Life Event Honoring NBA Legend Dikembe Mutombo Press Release Distributed by
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Sixers draft history: Keith Van Horn selected, then traded in 1997
With the NBA draft right around the corner, now is the time to look at some past drafts and see what the Philadelphia 76ers have done in their history. The Sixers have selected some big-time players in the past who have become an important part of the fabric of the franchise's history. This next edition focuses on the 1997 NBA draft. After a 22-60 season, the Sixers ended up getting the No. 2 pick in the draft. With that selection, they took Utah's Keith Van Horn before flipping the versatile forward to the then-New Jersey Nets in exchange for Anthony Parker, Jim Jackson, Eric Montross, and Todd MacCulloch. Advertisement The Sixers ended up getting Van Horn back in the summer of 2002 in a trade with the Nets that sent Dikembe Mutombo to New Jersey. In his lone season with the Sixers in 2002-03, he averaged 15.9 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. Philadelphia then sent him to the New York Knicks in the 2003 offseason as part a 4-team deal in which Philadelphia acquired Glenn Robinson and Marc Jackson. Van Horn would go on to play for five teams total in his nine seasons in the league. He played for the Dallas Mavericks when they reached the finals in 2006 before leaving the NBA. This article originally appeared on Sixers Wire: Sixers draft history: Keith Van Horn selected, then traded in 1997
Yahoo
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
"You guys don't know what it takes to win!" - Michael Jordan's furious locker room rant after the Bulls loss to the Hawks in the playoffs
The Chicago Bulls entered the 1997 NBA Playoffs as the favorites to win it all. After all, they were the defending NBA Champions, and Michael Jordan and crew were at the height of their powers. After easily dispatching the Washington Wizards in three games, the Bulls faced the fourth-seeded Atlanta Hawks, led by Steve Smith, Christian Laettner, Mookie Blaylock, and Dikembe Mutombo. Raging Jordan The Hawks were a mid-tier team, which meant analysts expected the Bulls would give them a pounding. But lo and behold, the Lenny Wilkens-coached squad snatched a Game 2 victory, 103-95. MJ, obsessed with perfection, lashed out at his teammates and coaches in the post-game huddle. Advertisement "Mike walked in the locker room, and he killed every one of those guys," said an unidentified Bulls player, per the Los Angeles Times. "Phil and [assistants] Jimmy Rodgers and Frank Hamblen and Bill Cartwright just leaned up against the wall." "He was going up and down the lockers – 'You guys don't know what it takes to win!' — he just killed them all. It was the greatest speech you ever heard. It was like Knute Rockne. And when he was done, Phil just said, 'That's it,'" continued the article. "Mr. Air" had every right to be angry. The Bulls shot just 41.3 percent from the field, while the Hawks shot 52.1 percent. It was a very winnable game since Chicago out-rebounded and out-assisted Atlanta. The Hawks took advantage of a sluggish third quarter from the "Wind City" team to keep the game close. In the fourth, Smith exploded for 13 points with little resistance from the Bulls' defense. Advertisement Whatever Jordan said in that heated post-game huddle worked. In Game 3, the Bulls dominated the Georgia based team, 100-80. They shot 47.2 percent from the field — a slightly better clip than the previous game. Critically, contained the Hawks to a horrendous 36.4 percent shooting clip. The Bulls rode the Game 3 momentum to finish off the Hawks in five games. Related: Julius Erving viewed the 1995-96 Bulls as more than just a great team: "They've been giving the fans of the basketball world a glimpse of the future" A tyrant? The post-game rant in 1997 was just one of the many instances of Jordan getting in the grills of his teammates. He was known to be a tyrant who would not hesitate to step on his teammates' toes just to snag the victory. Advertisement MJ defended himself against these accusations. He felt he earned every right to call out his team. After all, he had paid his dues and stayed with the franchise through troubled waters. "That was leadership," Jordan told GQ in 2007. "I was the only guy there from 1984. I was there when there were 6,000 people in the stands. So, I took pride in making sure every guy understood what it took to get us to this point." "I never took a day off," he continued. "If I took a day off, then Scottie was going to take a day off. And then Horace. The next thing you know, the whole scope of what we're trying to do is being weakened. I never took a shortcut, and I never wanted anyone else to take a shortcut. If that means someone interprets me as a tyrant, I'm pretty sure they're appreciative now." True enough, Jordan powered the Bulls to another NBA Championship in 1997. The team operated in unison. Chicago maintained their resolve after they lost one game to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals and two games to the Utah Jazz in the NBA Finals. Advertisement Whatever "His Airness" said in that post-game huddle against the Hawks remained steeped in the hearts and souls. They used it to reinvigorate their play when it got tough. Related: "I didn't sense I was taking over the ballgame" - Michael Jordan didn't realize he was dominating the Suns in the 1993 NBA Finals
