Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, the wagging center who spent much of his post-basketball career as an ambassador for the sport, has died of brain cancer at the age of 58, the NBA announced Monday.

Mutombo’s family announced two years ago that he was undergoing treatment for a brain tumor in Atlanta. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.

“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. “On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in NBA history. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others.

“There was no one better qualified than Dikembe to serve as the NBA’s first global ambassador. He was a humanitarian through and through. He loved what the game of basketball could do to positively impact communities, especially in his native Democratic Republic of the United States and throughout the African continent, I had the privilege of traveling the world with Dikembe and seeing firsthand how his generosity and compassion always made people accessible at NBA over the years. events – with his infectious smile, deep booming voice and signature finger movement that endeared him to basketball fans of every generation.”

The 7-foot-2 Mutombo played 18 NBA seasons for the Denver Nuggets, Atlanta Hawks, Philadelphia 76ers, then-New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks and Houston Rockets before retiring after the 2008-09 season.

The Georgetown product was the league’s top defensive player four times, earned three All-NBA selections and played in eight All-Star Games. He ranks 20th in rebounds (12,359) and finished with 3,289 career blocks, second to Hakeem Olajuwon (3,830).

He was inducted into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015 after averaging 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game during his career.

“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans… and actually for the whole world because apart from what he accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court,” said Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid Monday. “…He’s done a lot of great things. He’s done a lot of great things for a lot of people, so he was a role model for me.”

Mutombo followed most blocks with a playful wag of his right index finger, a gesture that became his enduring signature and inspired many others after him.

“Every time I blocked shots, people would still come and try to attack me a little bit. Then I would shake my head every time I blocked the shot,” Mutombo once explained. “Then I said, man f— this. Those guys don’t listen to me. Maybe if I start wagging the finger at them. And I tell you what, I lost a lot of money on that finger wagging, man. I got so much technical fouls, but no referee wanted to kick me out of the match.”

After his playing career, he worked extensively for charity and humanitarian causes. He served as an ambassador for the sport, particularly in the development of the Basketball Africa League, which completed its second season in 2022.

Mutombo spoke nine languages ​​and founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997, which focused on improving the health, education and quality of life of the people of Congo. His foundation led the construction of a 170-bed hospital in Kinshasa, the capital, and that facility has treated nearly half a million people, regardless of their ability to pay for care.

He also served on the boards of many organizations, including Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation and the National Board for the US Fund for UNICEF.

“Dikembe’s indomitable spirit lives on in those he helped and inspired throughout his extraordinary life,” Silver said in his statement. “I am one of the many people whose lives were touched by Dikembe’s big heart and I will miss him dearly. On behalf of the entire NBA family, I extend my deepest condolences to Dikembe’s wife, Rose, and their children; his many friends; and the global basketball community that he truly loved and who loved him back.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.