ATLANTA — The Atlanta Hawks announced on Thursday that they will honor the life and legacy of Hawks legend and Dikembe Mutombo at its next home game.
The Hawks great and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall-of-Famer died on Sept. 30.
The team announced it will be adding a new court decal as a tribute to Mutombo, who had his No. 55 jersey retired by the team in 2015.
Most known for his finger wag after blocking a shot, Hawks players, as an ode to Mutombo, will wear shirts during pregame with his signature “No, No, No” taunt on them.
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Mutombo ranks second all-time in NBA history in blocked shots with 3,289 during his career. Opponents thought twice before approaching the rim when Mutombo was in the paint for fear they will become the next victim of the finger wagging celebration.
He appeared in 343 games with the Atlanta Hawks franchise from 1996-01, averaging 11.9 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks per game and ranks first in blocks per game and third in total blocks in franchise history with 1,094.
Mutombo was a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and eight-time NBA All-Star; he is also one of only three players in Hawks history to achieve a point/rebound/block triple-double.
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While he was a feared competitor on the court, he was also respected off of the hardwood. Mutombo was big in the humanitarian space focusing on health care and education in his homeland of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
You could argue the presence and force that he was on the basketball court was equally as huge in his community.
“While we are deeply saddened by the passing of Dikembe Mutombo, we are honored to use our Nov. 25th game as a platform to honor Dikembe,” said Steve Koonin, Chief Executive Officer of the Atlanta Hawks and State Farm Arena. “The Hawks family is committed to preserving his legacy and celebrating the impact he made both on and off the court, a true testament to his character and sportsmanship.”
Monday's game is for Dikembe ❤️
— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) November 21, 2024
To honor Mutombo, we'll have a new court decal & special pregame shooting shirts, and his signature “No, No, No” taunt will play throughout the arena after blocks.
Read more ⤵️ https://t.co/4bMdi21SI6
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