WATCH: Atlanta Hawks Pay Tribute To Dikembe Mutombo

The Atlanta Hawks paid tribute to Dikembe Mutombo at halftime of tonight's game vs Dallas

Atlanta Hawks Dikembe Tribute / Atlanta Hawk

Tonight, the Atlanta Hawks honored the life and legacy of Dikembe Mutombo and had a special tribute for him.

Dikembe was the best of us ❤️

His light and legacy live on forever ☝️ pic.twitter.com/r9Y1ILuCpi

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) November 26, 2024

Mutombo, famous for his formidable defensive skills and iconic finger wag after blocks on the court, dedicated himself to humanitarian work, focusing on health care and education in his homeland of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, which supported various initiatives, including the construction of a state-of-the-art hospital in Kinshasa. His unwavering commitment to community upliftment made him a role model and left a lasting legacy far beyond the basketball court.

The legendary Hawks player appeared in 343 games with the franchise from 1996-01, averaging 11.9 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game. He ranks first in blocks per game and third in total blocks in franchise history with 1,094. Mutombo set the team record for the most defensive rebounds in a season (853 in 1999-00) and is one of only six Hawks to average at least 10.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game (min. 300 games played). A four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and eight-time NBA All-Star, he is also one of only three players in Hawks history to achieve a point/rebound/block triple-double. With his impressive total of 3,289 career blocks, Mutombo solidifies his status as one of the greatest defensive players in the league.

“While we are deeply saddened by the passing of Dikembe Mutombo, we are honored to use our Nov. 25th game as a platform to honor Dikembe,” said Steve Koonin, Chief Executive Officer of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena. “The Hawks family is committed to preserving his legacy and celebrating the impact he made both on and off the court, a true testament to his character and sportsmanship.”

Fans are encouraged to donate to the Dikembe Mutombo Memorial Fund to help contribute to the causes and organizations Mutombo dedicated his life to supporting.