Dikembe Mutombo

Dikembe Mutombo (CAS '91) played center for the Hoyas men's basketball team from 1988-1991. Known for his defense and shot-blocking ability, Mutombo helped the Hoyas to an Elite Eight appearance in 1989 and went on to a Hall of Fame NBA career.

Georgetown (1988-1991)

Mutombo grew up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and came to Georgetown in 19871. Coach John Thompson Jr. recalled that he was "intrigued by [Mutombo's] combination of size, agility, and athleticism" and recruited him to join the team2. Mutombo sat out his freshman year and impressed Thompson with his play the following year, blocking 12 shots in one game against St. John's3. The Hoyas made a run to the Elite Eight that season, ultimately losing to Duke4. 

Mutombo took advantage of his increased playing time the following season, averaging 10.7 points and 10.5 rebounds per game5. Unfortunately, the Hoyas lost a tough second-round matchup to Xavier in the NCAA Tournament6.

In Mutombo's final season at Georgetown, he continued to establish himself as a formidable offensive and defensive player. Now averaging 15.2 points per game, Mutombo also averaged 12.2 rebounds per game7. Once again, however, the Hoyas fell short in the tournament despite Mutombo's performance with a second-round loss to UNLV8. Though Mutombo had a year of eligibility left since he sat out his freshman year, he graduated from Georgetown's School of Language and Linguistics9 (which has since been incorporated into the College of Arts and Sciences10) in the spring and entered the NBA Draft.

NBA career

The Denver Nuggets selected Mutombo with the #4 overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft11, pairing him with fellow Hoya Reggie Williams. Mutombo's scoring actually peaked in his rookie year, with 16.6 points per game12. He quickly established himself as a dominant rebounder and shot-blocker, leading the NBA in total blocks from 1993-199813. 

Mutombo made his first playoff appearance with Denver in 1994, coming back from a 2-0 series deficit to beat the top-seeded and heavily favored Seattle SuperSonics in the first round. The Nuggets lost to the Jazz in the Western Conference Semifinals14. The upset over the SuperSonics ultimately became the highlight of Mutombo's time in Denver.

In July 1996, Mutombo signed with the Atlanta Hawks15. He would spend over 4.5 seasons in Atlanta, where he led the NBA in total rebounds three times16. Mutombo made three playoff appearances with the Hawks from 1997-99, advancing to the Eastern Conference Semifinals twice17. In 2001, the Hawks sent Mutombo to the Philadelphia 76ers in a midseason trade, pairing him with former Hoya guard Allen Iverson18. Iverson and Mutombo reached the NBA Finals that year, where they lost 4-1 against the Los Angeles Lakers19. With a first-round loss to the Boston Celtics, the 2001-02 season was a disappointment for the 76ers, coming off of their Finals run20. It was also Mutombo's final season in Philadelphia, as the 76ers traded him to the New Jersey Nets before the 2002-03 season21.

Mutombo played only 24 games with the Nets, but he participated in the team's run to the NBA Finals, where they lost a 4-2 series to the San Antonio Spurs22. The Nets waived Mutombo that offseason and he signed with the New York Knicks23. After one season in New York, the Knicks traded Mutombo to the Houston Rockets as part of a package for Jamal Crawford and Jerome Williams24. Mutombo spent the rest of his career in Houston, making four playoff appearances with the Rockets25. He retired in 200926.

Legacy

Mutombo is one of four Georgetown players to be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame. While a capable scorer, he is best known for his defensive dominance, especially his shot-blocking and his accompanying finger-wag. He finished his career as a 4-time Defensive Player of the Year and 8-time All-Star27. Mutombo led the NBA in both blocks and rebounds per game at different points in his career28. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 201529. Mutombo currently serves on Georgetown's Board of Directors30 and is also well-known for his extensive humanitarian work. He opened a hospital in Kinshasa, DRC, in 2007 and opened a center for science and entrepreneurship in 202131.

• 1UNICEF USA, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.unicefusa.org/about/people/board/dikembe-mutombo.
• 2Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 209.
• 3Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 218-219.
• 4Thompson, John with Jesse Washington. "I Came As A Shadow." Holt Paperbacks, 2022, p. 232-233.
• 5Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 6NCAA.com, Browse every NCAA bracket since 1939 with stats and records. https://www.ncaa.com/basketball-men/d1/every-ncaa-bracket-1939-today-tournament-stats-records.
• 7Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 8NCAA.com, Browse every NCAA bracket since 1939 with stats and records. https://www.ncaa.com/basketball-men/d1/every-ncaa-bracket-1939-today-tournament-stats-records.
• 9Grace Cohn. "Remembering Hoya Basketball Legend John Thompson Jr." The Hoya. 17 September 2020.
• 10Brick, Jennifer. "CAS, SLL Councils To Merge This Fall." The Hoya. 24 March 1995.
• 11Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 12Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 13Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 14Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 15Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 16Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 17Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 18Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 19Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 20Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 21Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 22Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 23Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 24Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 25Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 26Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 27Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 28Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 29Basketball-Reference.com, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01.html.
• 30Georgetown University, Board of Directors. https://governance.georgetown.edu/board-of-directors/.
• 31UNICEF USA, Dikembe Mutombo. https://www.unicefusa.org/about/people/board/dikembe-mutombo.