Dikembe Mutumbo died today at the age of 58 from brain cancer, and I never thought it would affect me this way.

All my life as a basketball fan and player, I have always thought of his iconic shot blocking the taunt, wagging his finger and saying, “NO NO NO!” with an unmistakably deep, gravelly baritone.

Dikembe Mutombo’s journey in the NBA was marked by a towering presence that terrified opponents for nearly two decades. From the moment the Denver Nuggets selected him fourth overall in 1991, it was clear that Mutombo was not the typical player. Standing 7 feet tall, his game revolved around suffocating defenses, and he quickly became one of the most feared shot blockers in the league.

His now famous finger wagging, which followed a rejection, served as a reminder of his dominance. Over 18 seasons, Mutombo earned four Defensive Player of the Year awards and was named an All-Star eight times, representing teams such as the Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers and Houston Rockets. Here’s a clip of him serving on the Warriors with Philly.

I still vividly remember him battling all-time colossus Shaquille O’Neal in the 2001 NBA Finals, valiantly battling an all-time legend as Defensive Player of the Year.

Yet the accolades and statistics only tell part of the story. By the time he retired, Mutombo had established himself as the second-most productive shot blocker in NBA history.

But behind these numbers was a man who carried the weight of his homeland on his shoulders. Born in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mutombo used his platform to draw attention to the struggle in his country. His contributions outside the court, especially through the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, which built hospitals in Congo, paint a picture of a man who never forgot where he came from.

His induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015 was bittersweet, recognizing both his achievements on the court and his humanitarian efforts off it. However, his legacy extends far beyond basketball. For all the blocked shots and defensive accolades, it’s the lives he touched through his philanthropic work that have endured the longest. RIP to Mount Mutumbo.