The NBA has lost one of its all-time greats.

Hall of Fame center Dikembe Mutombo, famous for his tail-wagging taunt and shot blocking, died Monday of brain cancer, the association announced. He was 58.

Born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mutombo was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015. He was an eight-time NBA All-Star and won the league’s Defensive Player of the Year award four times. , which is the most tied of all time.

Nicknamed “Mount Mutombo,” he was known as a prolific shot blocker on each of his seven teams, including the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets and Atlanta Hawks. Off the field, he was equally beloved in his home country for his humanitarian work.

After blocking shots, the seven-foot center was known for wagging his finger in the air or occasionally in his opponent’s face – an all-time taunt that is still used by players to this day of all ages and levels. Mutombo reenacted his signature taunt in a Super Bowl commercial for Geico in 2013, which has been reaired by the company numerous times over the years.

Mutombo became the NBA’s first-ever global ambassador after retiring in 2009. He held this position until his death.

Mutombo first came to the United States in 1987 on an academic scholarship to attend Georgetown University. In his freshman year, he towered over his classmates and caught the attention of the college basketball coach, who added him to the roster for his sophomore year of college.

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The budding star made the most of his opportunity and was selected fourth overall by the Nuggets in the 1991 NBA draft three years later.

The NBA said in a statement Monday that Mutombo began cancer treatment in Atlanta in 2022. The father of three was surrounded by his family when he died, the statement said.

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