The Atlanta Hawks retire Dikembe Mutombo's number '55' jersey
The Atlanta Hawks honored 8-time All Star Dikembe Mutombo by retiring his #55 jersey on Tuesday night at the Philips Arena. Mutombo was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on September 11th, 2015. He became the fourth player in franchise history to be honored with a retired number and the first since Dominique Wilkins in 2001.
The ceremony took place during the Hawks game on Tuesday night against the Celtics. It featured remarks from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, Hawks Owner Tony Ressler, Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Mutombo’s former Hawks teammate Steve Smith. The Arena was full of his signature finger wagging “no no no” foam fingers and all the Hawks on the court wore a #55 patch on their uniforms.
Mutombo signed as a free agent in 1996 to make Atlanta the second stop on an 18-year career in which he played for five other teams. The 4-time Defensive Player of the Year (3-time with the Hawks) led the league in blocks for five straight seasons (93-94 to 97-98). He immediately became an All-Star in his rookie year with the Denver Nuggets and was famous around the league for blocking everyone who entered the paint and wagging his finger on them.
“I don’t think I ever thought that my jersey would be retired, my name will stay forever”
-Dikembe Mutombo, after the half-time ceremony on Tuesday night
Mutombo was a good player and a better person. After his retirement in 2009, Mutombo engaged in a lot of humanitarian work especially by starting the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to improve the living conditions in his native Democratic Republic of Congo. He has twice won the NBA’s J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award and now works as NBA’s Global Ambassador.
Loved and respected by all, Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo received an honor that was well deserved and much needed. He continues to be an inspiration to all the league’s Centers to be the best defenders they can be. Thunder big man, Serge Ibaka is such a big fan of Mutombo’s that he often imitates him after a blocked shot with a finger wag and his most famous quote; “No No No”.