Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo, commonly referred to as Dikembe Mutombo, is a Congolese American retired professional basketball player who played 18 seasons in the National Basketball Association. Outside basketball, he has become known for his humanitarian work...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionBasketball Player
Date of Birth25 June 1966
CityKinshasa, DR Congo
CountryUnited States of America
africa age children continue diabetes dying fight five funding losing lost million needs pandemic people year
Africa needs more funding to continue to fight all of those diseases. We are losing more than 1.3 million young children under the age of five every year because of malaria. We've already lost 25 million people to the pandemic of HIV-AIDS. More people are dying now from typhoid fever. Diabetes is on the rise.
conducting embraced knew last league player rookie talked
After I made it to the NBA, I said that I didn't want to be the last player from Africa. After my rookie year, I went to the league and talked about this, and they embraced my idea and started conducting basketball clinics in Africa, and that's when I knew I wouldn't be the last African.
african conditions created people
My foundation was created so I can find a way to improve the living conditions of my people in the African continent, not just in Congo.
fight human nature understand
We understand the situation. That's human nature and you can't fight it.
hunger greater
Food - there's no greater gift...
order upstairs elevators
When an elevator brings u upstairs, you better send it back down in order to bring others up!
jobs children community
God put us here to prepare this place for the next generation. That's our job. Raising children and helping the community, that's preparing for the next generation.
mom dad children
When I was born, my dad and my mom gave me names, but in Africa, when your child is born, especially close family members can suggest names they want to add on.
basketball years nba
After spending more than 17 years playing for the NBA, in the summertime, I always came back to community service and different basketball clinics.
needs forget congo
I cannot forget the place that I come from. The Congo is much in need.
hell backup
Me as a backup center? Hell no.
strong uncles growing-up
I was not very strong growing up, and my uncle used to look at me, like, This kid is not growing up, he is growing tall but he can be broken like a banana.
children winning easy
It's not easy to teach a child how to win.
might-use remember elevators
When you take the elevator to the top, please remember to send it back down so someone else might use it.