EL SEGUNDO — As much as everyone feels the pain of the loss of Dikembe Mutombo — who died Monday at the age of 58 — it was hard to talk about him and the joy he brought everywhere he went without a smile coming across people’s faces.
That was the case with LeBron James at Lakers media day — and he was talking about a fractured face. Still, he was smiling about it.
“I mean, first of all, my condolences goes to him, to his family…” LeBron said at Lakers media day. “My fondest memory of Dikembe Mutombo — he fractured my face. On my birthday in Cleveland with an elbow. I never even got an opportunity to, like, tell him about that. But, yeah, I don’t remember how old I was, I was in Cleveland, my first stint… he was in Houston… And I went to the hole and caught one of those Dikembe elbows. And if anybody knows about the Dikembe elbow, they do not feel good. He fractured my face, and I went to the hospital that night, and I wore a mask for a little bit. Yeah, yeah. So that is my memory of Dikembe.”
Here are some other memories about Mutombo from around the NBA.
Dikembe Mutombo was an incredible basketball player – one of the best shot blockers and defensive players of all time. But he also inspired a generation of young people across Africa, and his work as the NBA’s first global ambassador changed the way athletes think about their…
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) September 30, 2024
You paved the way for me and for many Congolese and African youth with your legendary basketball career and charitable actions. You are an @NBA legend and an African icon and that will inspire the many coming generations. Rest In Peace Dikembe Mutombo. @NBA_Africa pic.twitter.com/gMpWlonmis
— Serge Ibaka (@sergeibaka) September 30, 2024
I was very sad to hear about Dikembe Mutombo’s passing. Dikembe was not only great on the court, but a force for good off it, admired and loved by those who got to know him. His smile, his values and his dedication to basketball, as well as to helping others, will never be… pic.twitter.com/KZaOSAXVGE
— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) September 30, 2024
Today we mourn the loss of a true ambassador of our game, Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo. Dikembe spent 18 seasons in the NBA, including his final five as a Houston Rocket. His fun-loving personality and trademark finger-wagging endeared him to fans around the world, but Dikembe’s… pic.twitter.com/BfmKNGLGi3
— Houston Rockets (@HoustonRockets) September 30, 2024
We are deeply saddened by the news of Dikembe Mutombo’s passing.
Dikembe was a proud and honorable man, who lived up to the definition of a word that became synonymous with his name – humanitarian. He used his many gifts and his platform to improve the lives of everyone he… pic.twitter.com/zsLS4AihJ4
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) September 30, 2024
Harrison Barnes has fond memories of his interactions with Dikembe Mutombo: “One of the things that was so unique about him was just his infectious personality and his ability to walk into a room and put a smile on people’s faces, whether you knew him or not.”
— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) September 30, 2024
