Dikembe Mutombo's Career Is OVER

[Fizdale]

HOUSTON - Houston Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo suffered a career-ending injury late in the first quarter of game two of their best of seven playoff series against the Portland Trailblazers Tuesday night.

Mutombo suffered what the team has announced as a strained left knee but Mutombo said he may require surgery and that he will never play again.

"It's just bad," Mutombo said after the game. "I might need surgery. It's over for me for my career. I am going to be around (the team) as far as we can go and be with my teammates and support them and give them the same love that they give to me."

"Right now I can say I had a wonderful run of 18 years and staying injury free.

"I thank God a lot for all of his blessing for putting great people around me in life and in the NBA.," Mutombo said. "I have to go out with my head up and not be disappointed and with no regrets.
"I have so many things to be thankful for over my 18 years."

Mutombo had already announced he was retiring after this season.

"Deke and the Rockets are devastated by the injury," said Leslie Alexander, Rockets owner in an interview with FOX 26 Sports. "He has meant so much to the Rockets and the NBA community.

"We all feel for him and his family."

Mutombo suffered the injury with 1:17 left in the first quarter. He was in obvious pain as he slammed his hand on the floor while being attended to by Rockets officials. He was taken from the court on a stretcher.

The Rockets lost to Portland 107-103 to tie the series at one game apiece.

Mutombo was an eight-time All-Star during his career. He was NBA Defensive Player of the year four times. He made the first team All-Defensive team three times. He leaves the game second on the all-time list in blocked shots to his hero Hakeem Olajuwon.

Very SAD to hear this, good luck Deke.

[NovU]

Damn. He's been around forever, it sure is sad to see him going like this. One of the best blocker in the history of mankind probably.

Still... Houston's going to make it to a second round, I assume/hope.

[Jing]

Pretty gruesome injury, felt sad seeing him being carried off on that stretcher, great career as a defense guy too bad it had to end so painfully.

[Andrew]

That's a real shame, obviously reminiscent his fellow Georgetown alumus and former teammate Alonzo Mourning's career-ending injury. It would've been nice if he could've left the court on his own terms rather than his retirement being pushed forward like that but I guess it wasn't to be. Nevertheless, he had a fine career and from all accounts is a fine human being. I'm sure he'll continue to do good things with his philanthropic pursuits in his post NBA career.

[Modifly]

Sad. Just sad. I really dont know what to say anymore.

[shadowgrin]

Wag your finger at some of your friends in your house and say "this is my house, the house of [your name]".

[JaoSming]

I shall continue the finger wag in memoriam of his career

[diddy]

great player, i hope houston will retire his number!

[Angelo]

great player, i hope houston will retire his number!

Yeah i do hope so , i also give honor to this man since he has done a good job in playing in the nba and he even blocked the best player of all time..so long finger wagging man

[Stress Fracture]

What a sad news. Good Luck to Mt. Mutombo.

great player, i hope houston will retire his number!

Yeah i do hope so , i also give honor to this man since he has done a good job in playing in the nba and he even blocked the best player of all time..so long finger wagging man

I agree. Oh, really, he blocked MJ?

Anyways, here's a tribute to him:

[Dan's Brain]

I dont know if Houston would be the ones to retire his number. Probably Denver, if anyone was going to do it.

But this is a sad way for the big man to go out. I actually bought a Mutombo Nuggets replica jersey when i was 11, and loved it to bits (slightly literally). That was 14 years ago, but i still have it somewhere I think. He's one of my favourite centres ever, and will remain so for a long time.

This reads slightly like an obituary, so i will stop it now.

[Andrew]

Yeah, I'm not sure about the Rockets retiring his jersey. I don't think it would be inappropriate if they did of course, but it seems highly unlikely.

[shadowgrin]

Houston retiring his jersey?
Kids and their basketball history.

he even blocked the best player of all time

.
I remember that sequence, I think. He blocked that player so Mutombo did his finger wag, but that player got the steal and dunked over Mutombo while doing the finger wag. That player also did the finger wag after dunking on Mutombo.

[Null17]

13 posts and no "WHO WANTS TO SEX MUTOMBO?".

[el badman]

Terrible news, what a shame for such a classy guy to end his career on that note, that should have been when he wanted it, how he wanted it...
Wishing him all the best.

[Amphatoast]

Sucks to see him not retire on his own terms. Just one of those guys who kept going and could contribute no matter what age they were. The longest lasting of the 3 Georgetown big men (ewing, mourning the other 2) had a great career. Even with a significant role decline over the past 7 years, he average over 10rebs and 2.7 blocks per game.

[Oakrhum]

If there's any team that should retire Mutombo's jersey that would be Atlanta.

[Andrew]

That's a possibility I suppose, though he spent slightly more time with the Nuggets (and the Rockets for that matter). A bit of a toss-up as to who will retire his jersey if anyone, though I think we can rule out the Sixers, Nets and Knicks.

[Modifly]

Can more than one team retire a person's number? If yes then the Rockets will probably retire his number as well as other teams. Leslie Alexander love that man.

[Amphatoast]

i believe jordan number has been retired by the bulls and heat so it's possible.

[Andrew]

There's definitely no rule against it. Charles Barkley's #34 has been retired by the Suns and the Sixers and Wilt Chamberlain's #13 has been retired by the Sixers, Lakers and Warriors.

[Alejandrov011]

Maybe Miami retires the number...

Who knows... they retired Jordan's 23...

[Modifly]

I dont think so with this case.

[Dan's Brain]

Also Kareem's 33 has been retired by the Bucks and Lakers. I don't see Mutombo as being in the same company as Barkley, Wilt and Kareem.

[kibaxx7]

He was NBA Defensive Player of the year four times. He made the first team All-Defensive team three times.

I checked this and it's true, why would the DPOY be in the All-Defensive Second Team? 1994-95 All-Defensive First Team was David Robinson, Rodman, Pippen, Payton and Mookie Blaylock... It also happened with Alvin Robertson in 1985-86. (Wikipedia).