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    • Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. about the death of NBA great Dikembe Mutombo
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    Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. about the death of NBA great Dikembe Mutombo

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    Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. had found out about the death of former NBA star Dikembe Mutombo just before his meeting with the media on Monday afternoon. When first asked about the Hall of Famer, Jackson gave a quick answer before going back and speaking for more than two minutes about the NBA legend’s impact on his life.

    Jackson had known Mutombo – who died of brain cancer at the age of 58 – since he was a small child. His father, Jaren Jackson Sr., was Mutombo’s roommate at Georgetown.

    “I knew him all my life,” an emotional Jaren Jackson Jr. said. ‘It’s not a good feeling. I have to call my father.

    “He had a big impact on my life. That’s really someone who was in my corner before I was ever really good at basketball. He always told me how much more gifted I was offensively, even when I was younger and I wasn’t that gifted offensively as I am now.”

    Mutombo maintained a relationship with the younger Jackson, who said the four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year would always keep an eye on him, curse him out or even talk nonsense.

    The obvious basketball connection between Jackson and Mutombo is their ability to block shots. Jackson, who was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2023, has led the NBA in blocks twice — something Mutombo has accomplished three times in his 18-year career.

    But their relationship went beyond defense and basketball.

    “It’s very personal,” he said. “…He changed everyone’s life, no matter who he was.”

    Damichael Cole is the Memphis Grizzlies beat writer for The Commercial Appeal. Contact Damichael at [email protected]. Follow Damichael on X, formerly known as Twitter, @DamichaelC.

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