At 7 feet 2 inches, Mutombo held down the paint as one of the league’s best-ever defenders and shot blockers. As an Adidas athlete, he served as a rare exception to the rule that big men can’t sell shoes with his namesake model still counting among the most eccentric signature models in the history of the sport.

Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo passed away at 58 after a two-year battle with brain cancer. Of course, Mutombo's outsized influence extended far beyond the basketball court. He was a humanitarian,

Dikembe Mutombo, the Basketball Hall of Famer known as much for his finger wagging and singular voice as his defensive prowess, passed away Monday at the age of 58 after a battle with brain cancer. The Congolese-American player nicknamed "Mt.