Making ;Dikembe Mutombo happy is a universally good thing. A wildly philanthropic man with a huge heart, Mutombo was once named the most generous athlete in the world ;by Fox Sports. His relationship with society is purely symbiotic — a rarity today, but one that deserves all the recognition available. So when Sept. 1 was declared “Dikembe Mutombo Day” ;in Fulton County, Georgia, it was, undoubtedly, a better day for all. As the day went on, it only got better. On Tuesday night in Atlanta, at a ceremony for ;Mutombo’s day, the Atlanta Hawks upped the ante. With an unsuspecting Mutombo in the audience, Hawks CEO Steve Koonin made a surprise announcement that his …
Making ;Dikembe Mutombo happy is a universally good thing. A wildly philanthropic man with a huge heart, Mutombo was once named the most generous athlete in the world ;by Fox Sports. His relationship with society is purely symbiotic — a rarity today, but one that deserves all the recognition available.
So when Sept. 1 was declared “Dikembe Mutombo Day” ;in Fulton County, Georgia, it was, undoubtedly, a better day for all. As the day went on, it only got better. On Tuesday night in Atlanta, at a ceremony for ;Mutombo’s day, the Atlanta Hawks upped the ante.
With an unsuspecting Mutombo in the audience, Hawks CEO Steve Koonin made a surprise announcement that his No. 55 would be retired and raised to the rafters at ;Phillips Arena during a nationally televised game against the Boston Celtics on Nov. 24. ;
Has there ever been a happier-looking man?
Mutombo, clenching ;his heart while emotion washed over him, was completely shocked by the news. ; ;
“The most surprising, as you can see from the tears in my eyes, is the announcement that was made,” Mutombo told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “It’s the most shocking to me … I didn’t know the Hawks were going to retire my jersey. I can’t believe it. It’s going to be a great day.”
While Mutombo can look forward to that Nov. 24 date, this September is still full of scheduled accolades for Mutombo. On Sept. 11, his 18-year NBA career, which concluded in 2009, will be enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
We can’t wait to see a few of these included in his Hall of Fame speech:
YES, YES, YES. ;
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Dikembe Mutombo Looked Like The Happiest Man On Earth After Hawks Announced His Number Retirement
