Former Sixer Dikembe Mutombo Prepares For HOF Induction Ceremony
By Bret Stuter
Jan 20, 2014; Memphis, TN, USA; Former NBA players JoJo White Dikembe Mutombo and
Bernard Kingspeak during the Sports Legacy Award Symposium moderated by Grizzlies TV announcer Pete Pranica prior to the game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the New Orleans Pelicans at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Nelson Chenault-USA TODAY Sports
The Mutombo Foundation
Dikembe Mutombo is a player who has dedicated himself to promote and aid the lives of others. He joined the NBA in 1991, and was reported to having been born in the African nation of Zaire. But the regime failed its citizens and the goverment collapsed. The county is now known as Democratic Republic of the Congo. The nation knows many languages: French, Lingala, Kongo, Swahili, and Tshiluba. But the nation knows suffering too.
That suffering has gotten the attention of Dikembe Mutombo. He intends to do something about it. In fact, he began the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to “improve the health, education and quality of life for the people of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Foundation strives to accomplish this goal through an emphasis on primary health care and disease prevention, the promotion of health policy, health research and increased access to health care education for the people of the Congo.”
He stands taller now than he ever did on the basketball court.
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Mutombo was born a member of the Luba ethnic group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Multilingual by both upbringing and education, Mutombo speaks English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Tshiluba, Swahili, Lingala and two other Central African dialects. He and his wife Rose have six children, four of whom are adopted.
Mutombo was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by the State University of New York College at Cortland for his humanitarian work in Africa. More recently, he was awarded an honorary doctorate by Georgetown University in 2010. There he delivered the commencement address for Georgetown College of Arts and Sciences, of which he is an alumnus. He also received an honorary doctorate degree from Haverford College in May 2011.
Mutombo serves on the Board of Trustees of the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, which is a museum dedicated to the U.S. Constitution.
The ceremony is September 11, 2015. Although he was a 76er for two years of his 19 year career, when he stands at that podium, he will be carrying a part of Philadelphia into the NBA hall of fame.
A great player will be inducted. A greater man will be honored.