NBA NEWS - NBA Africa creates annual Dikembe Mutombo Humanitarian Award

Dikembe Mutombo a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer who served as the NBA's first global ambassador

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Selected fourth overall in the 1991 NBA Draft, Mutombo spent 18 years in the NBA during which time he was an eight-time NBA All-Star and four-time Defensive Player of the Year - THIS DAY IN THE NBA

SAN FRANCISCO, USA

Thursday February 20, 2025

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver today announced the creation of the NBA Africa Dikembe Mutombo Humanitarian Award, a new annual honor that will recognize a person or an organization that works to advance health, education or economic opportunity across the continent of Africa.

The award is named after the late four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and Naismith Basketball Hall of Famer who served as the NBA's first global ambassador following his retirement from the league in 2009.

Silver also announced that NBA Africa will donate 55 courts to local communities on the continent in honor of Mutombo and his iconic jersey number, beginning in his native Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo where he first discovered his love for the game. The courts will feature a distinct design inspired by Mutombo and contribute to NBA Africa's commitment of building 1,000 courts on the continent over the next decade.

The announcement was made at the 10th annual NBA Africa All-Star Luncheon in San Francisco as part of NBA All-Star 2025. The award will be presented annually beginning at next year's luncheon, with the recipient receiving a financial grant to further their humanitarian efforts and a donation from NBA Africa to a charity of their choice.

"Dikembe devoted his life to helping others and brought joy to so many people across Africa and around the world," said Silver. "This new award and the basketball courts built in his name will honor Dikembe's extraordinary legacy as a global humanitarian."

Selected fourth overall in the 1991 NBA Draft, Mutombo spent 18 years in the NBA during which time he was an eight-time NBA All-Star and four-time Defensive Player of the Year, leading the league in blocked shots three times and becoming the second-leading shot blocker in NBA history. He was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.

Recognized for his philanthropic and humanitarian work, Mutombo was a recipient of many awards, including the Congressional Humanitarian Award (2013), John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health's Goodermote Humanitarian Award (2011), Laureus World Sports Award (2010), John Thompson Jr. Legacy of a Dream Award (2010) and the U.S. President's Service Award (2000). A general hospital he built in Kinshasa and named in memory of his late mother, the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, opened its doors to the public in 2007.

THIS DAY IN THE NBA

February 20, 1972 Larry Brown of the Denver Rockets set ABA records for assists in a game (23), half (18) and quarter (10) during a 146-123 win over the Pittsburgh Condors at Denver.

February 20, 1996 Utah’s John Stockton became the all-time leader in steals with 2,311, passing previous leader Maurice Cheeks in a 112-98 win over Boston.

February 20, 1997 Houston’s Hakeem Olajuwon became the 15th player in NBA history to score 23,000 career points in a 107-97 win over Toronto.

February 20, 2001 Mark Jackson of the Toronto Raptors recorded 12 assists to move past Isiah Thomas and into fourth place on the NBA’s all-time assists list. Jackson notched his 9,062nd career assist in Toronto’s 113-102 win over Golden State.