Dikembe Mutombo passed away on Sept. 30 at age 58 from brain cancer, and tributes quickly flooded in from every corner of sports from all the people who Mutombo touched as an athlete. On ESPN’s First Take, the most direct connection to Mutombo came from Shannon Sharpe, the former NFL tight end who played in Denver when Mutombo was drafted to the Nuggets.
Sharpe described the joy of seeing Mutombo around Denver training facilities — and later Atlanta — and getting to know him as more than just the shot blocker with a deep voice.
“I would see him all the time in the gym. And every time I would see him … the workout was done,” Sharpe laughed. “Because the moment you saw him and if you were working, you ain’t doing no more workout, because he’s going to talk to you for a good 30, 45 minutes and ruin your workout.”
Shannon Sharpe, who played in Denver at the same time as Dikembe Mutombo, reacts to his passing.
“I would see him all the time in the gym. Every time I would see him, Stephen A., your workout was done. Because the moment you saw him, if you were working out, you ain’t doing no… pic.twitter.com/vGLtotAr7e
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 30, 2024
Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer, announced that he had brain cancer in 2022. The four-time Defensive Player of the Year played 18 seasons in the NBA and dedicated his later life to humanitarian work, bringing sports and healthcare infrastructure to central Africa.
While honoring Mutombo, Sharpe also struck a somber tone about the legendary center who is gone too soon at the age of 58.
“When we were in our teens and 20s, that was considered old. But as you start to get to the age that we are now, you start to realize one of the most important things is to get old,” Sharpe, who is 56, said. “My heart breaks for the Mutombo family.”
Sharpe explained that he continued his relationship with Mutombo in the late-1990s, when Mutombo played for Sharpe’s hometown Atlanta Hawks.
It’s clear the legendary Mutombo impacted people wherever he went throughout his impressive life.
About Brendon Kleen
Brendon is a Media Commentary staff writer at Awful Announcing. He has also covered basketball and sports business at Front Office Sports, SB Nation, Uproxx and more.