Atlanta Hawks Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo dies at 58 from brain cancer

Dikembe Mutombo arrives at the ESPY Awards on Wednesday, July 20, 2022, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Mutombo died on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

This story was updated on Monday, Sept. 30 at 4:21 p.m.

Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Famer who was one of the best defensive players in NBA history and a longtime global ambassador for the game, died Monday from brain cancer, the league announced. He was 58.

His family revealed two years ago that he was undergoing treatment in Atlanta for a brain tumor. The NBA said he died surrounded by his family.