Dikembe Mutombo Health Deteriorating? NBA Hall of Famer's Status After Worrying Diagnosis Revealed
Dikembe Mutombo's family and the league issued a statement following reports regarding his health emerged.
On Saturday, NBA released an official statement on behalf of Mutombo's family and the Hall of Fame center confirming the retired star player's health diagnosis. According to the league, the Hall of Famer is currently undergoing treatment for his brain tumor.
"He is receiving the best care possible from a collaborative team of specialists in Atlanta and is in great spirits as he begins treatment. Dikembe and his family ask for privacy during this time so they can focus on his care. They are grateful for your prayers and good wishes," the statement reads.
The NBA did not disclose what symptoms Mutombo experienced before his diagnosis or if his family has a history of the disease.
But according to Johns Hopkins Medicine's official website, not all brain tumors are malignant. Out of all types of brain tumors, meningioma is the most common form, as 30 percent of the patients have it. Among the symptoms include headaches, nausea, drowsiness, vision/speech issues, mental changes, and seizures, to name a few.
Mutombo received heartfelt support and messages from his friends and fans following the revelation.
Let's pray for my friend and brother Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo who is undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor, the NBA announced Saturday.
— Roger Muntu, BASc, MBA, DBA (doctorate student) (@RMshowVoa) October 15, 2022
Prions pour mon ami et frère Dikembe qui suit un traitement pour une tumeur au cerveau.
Jah bless☝🏿 pic.twitter.com/UIXTTHo7M8
Dikembe Mutombo's Historic NBA Career
Mutombo, an NBA Hall of Famer, reached what others are yet to achieve in the league.
Even after his retirement, he remains second in the list of NBA players with the highest career blocks in history. He had 18 NBA seasons career with different teams, including Atlanta Hawks, Denver Nuggets, Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks, and Houston Rockets.
Mutombo officially retired after appearing in the 2008-2009 season, and he ended his career fruitfully.
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Before leaving the court for good, he became famous for being the league's top defensive player four times. He also had three All-NBA selections throughout his 18 seasons in the field.
In total, he became part of eight All-Star Games.
As of press time, he is still in 17th place in rebounds, with 12,359 points. Meanwhile, he follows Hakeem Olajuwon among the players with the highest career blocks, scoring 3,289.
He continuously inspired people after his retirement as he focused on his charitable and humanitarian works. Mutombo, who can speak nine languages, founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997 to help people in Congo access health and education.
