One of the greatest blockers in basketball history has passed away. Dikembe Mutombo died at the age of 58 following a battle with brain cancer. From the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mutombo planned to be a doctor, but with his 7’ 2” frame and natural athletic ability, he was encouraged to pursue a career in basketball.  Mutombo moved to the United States at 21, where he went to Georgetown on a USAID scholarship but was recruited by Coach John Thompson to join the Hoyas.  He was an instant sensation at Georgetown, where he was a two-time Big East Defensive Player of the Year.  His play earned him the fourth overall pick by the Denver Nuggets in 1991, and he was an All-Star immediately and the runner-up for the Rookie of the Year.  A Nugget for the first five years of his career, Mutombo won three Blocking Titles there and won his first Defensive Player of the Year Award in 1994-95. Mutombo signed with Atlanta in 1996, where he added two more Defensive Player of the Year Awards and three more All-Stars while also capturing his first Rebounding Title.  He added a second one and a fourth DPOY in the year he was traded to Philadelphia.  He would later play for New Jersey, New York, and Houston and retired with eight All-Stars, three All-NBA Selections, four DPOYs, six All-Defensive Selections, and two J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Awards. An avid humanitarian, Mutombo gave back to his native Congo and did work throughout Africa. Mutombo is also second all-time in Blocks (3,289) and twenty-first in Rebounding (12,359). Denver and Atlanta retired his number 55, and in 2015, he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. We at Notinhalloffame.com would like to extend our condolences to Dikembe Mutombo's fans, family, and friends.