Dikembe Mutombo was born in 1966 in Kinshasa, the capital of the DRC. He was so tall as a young man — and so good at blocking shots — that scouts from Georgetown University in the United States offered him a scholarship to play basketball. He had barely played the sport before, yet within a few years he was one of the most feared defenders in America.
In the NBA, Mutombo was famous for blocking shots and then wagging his finger at the opposing player as if to say 'Not today!' This celebration became one of basketball's most memorable moments. He won the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award four times — more than almost anyone in the history of the game.
After retirement, Mutombo used the fame and success he had earned to help people in the DRC. He raised millions of dollars to build a modern hospital in Kinshasa — the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, named after his mother. He believed strongly that sport and success bring responsibility to give back.
Mutombo spoke nine languages fluently: French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, and five African languages including Lingala, Tshiluba and Kikongo. He served as a Global Ambassador for the NBA and was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. He remains one of the most admired people the DRC has ever produced.