The NBA lost one of its all-time fan favorites on Monday when it was revealed that legendary shot-blocker Dikembe Mutombo passed away at the age of 58 following a battle with brain cancer.
Mutombo was one of the most defensively dominant players that basketball has ever seen. Even the best scorers of his generation ran into their issues when facing the four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, including LeBron James.
Even though James only shared the NBA with Mutombo for a handful of seasons, it was enough to provide the Los Angeles Lakers superstar with one of his “fondest” memories.
“(Dikembe Mutombo) fractured my face on my birthday in Cleveland with an elbow,” James said during Monday’s NBA Media Day. “I never even got an opportunity to tell him about that.”
The details behind the incident were hazy for James; however, he remembered it occurring during his first stint with the Cleveland Cavaliers while Mutombo was with the Houston Rockets.
According to the four-time NBA MVP, James caught one of Mutombo’s elbows while they were battling in the paint. The incident sent the ex-Cavalier to the hospital and forced him to wear a protective mask for the next few games.
“If anybody knows the Dikembe elbows, they do not feel good,” James said about his first-hand experience.
NBA Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo.
© Yukihito Taguchi-Imagn Images
James appears to be talking about the Cavaliers vs. Rockets game from Dec. 29, 2004 — his 20th birthday. The Akron, Ohio native was forced out of the game with just three points following 21 minutes of action.
Meanwhile, Mutombo recorded seven points and nine rebounds off the bench as his Rockets went on to notch a 98-87 victory.
NBA Legend Dikembe Mutombo Passes Away at 58
According to Statmuse, James went head-to-head with Mutombo 10 times throughout their respective careers. The former 2003 first-overall picked finished with the 6-4 edge in those meetings, which includes when James’ Cavaliers tallied a 91-85 win over Mutombo’s Rockets in the final meeting on March 5, 2007.
Even though they only met 10 times, it’s interesting to see the lasting impression that Mutombo left on James. The 20-time NBA All-Star has imitated the Hall of Famer’s signature finger wag multiple times throughout his career, including when he pulled off a chase-down block on R.J. Hampton nearly three years ago.
It’s safe to say that as long as James and others continue to pay homage to his iconic career, Mutombo’s legacy won’t be forgotten any time soon.
