[email protected] (The Players' Tribune)
Dikembe Mutombo was one of the most beloved basketball players on the planet. Today we are throwing it back to one of our all-time episodes with the humanitarian and Hall of Famer to remember the pure joy he brought to the game of basketball and beyond.
Originally aired on August 25th, 2020
Mr. No-No-No Dikembe Mutombo has a story so unbelievable it has to be true. Hear how he went from the Congo to Georgetown on an academic scholarship. How coach John Thompson found him at school and invited him to practice with Alonzo Mourning’s squad. And how Dikembe got extra reps playing intramural ball — yes, intramural ball, dunking on everyday students. We hear about his record-breaking first big game in college, his summer battles with Zo and Patrick Ewing, and his decision to go pro. You learn how Bill Russell shaped his mind. And why the story about Jordan dunking on Dik was seven years in the making — and how Mutombo never hears the end of it. We hear about just how cold the business of the NBA really is. Why Atlanta was heaven for a Black Congolese. And the story behind Adidas’s Mt. Mutombo basketball shoe. Y’all be shaking your heads with amazement during this one. The larger-than-life legend, Dikembe Mutombo. Tune in.