Stan Van Gundy’s Dikembe Mutombo Tribute During Lakers' Win Had Rough Interruption

Andy Nesbitt | Oct 23, 2024

Stan Van Gundy’s Tribute to Dikembe Mutombo During Lakers Game Had Awkward Interruption / TNT

The basketball world lost a legend last month when the great Dikembe Mutombo died at the age of 58 due to brain cancer. The dominant center spent 18 years in the NBA blocking shots and waving his finger at opponents who dared to challenge him in the paint.

Mutombo's name came up during TNT's Timberwolves-Lakers broadcast on Tuesday night when Ian Eagle mentioned that Minnesota's Rudy Gobert had joined Mutombo and Ben Wallace as four-time winners of the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award.

Stan Van Gundy then started saying some nice words about Mutombo but was interrupted by Eagle, who had to do an ad read for Kia.

"Of course the NBA world just had a tough loss with the Dikembe Mutombo’s passing," Van Gundy said.

Eagle cut him off with: "NBA on TNT brought to you by the Kia Telluride X-Line, Kia, the official automotive partner of the NBA."

Eagle then got back into the Mutombo tribute, saying: "Yeah that was terrible news in regards to Dikembe, who has been such an ambassador to the game in addition to his Hall of Fame career. He just meant so much to the game of basketball."

Here was that moment:

Some kind words for Dikembe Mutombo as well as some kind words for the Kia Telluride X-Line. pic.twitter.com/07z2qERRTp

— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 23, 2024

Just some unfortunate timing there for one of the best broadcasting duos in basketball.

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