When I see and hear about Dikembe Mutombo and his career in the NBA, I often think about an immovable wall. A strong defender who is ready to wag a finger your way in dismissal. The second best ever for all-time blocks in the league. There are not many people out there who have done more physical growing than Dikembe Mutombo. At seven feet and two inches tall, he is not even among the top twenty of tallest basketball players ever, despite how far ahead on the growth curve he is compared to averages.
In order to grow, you need diversity – of experience, opinion, and perspective. Diversity will always be at the core of change. It’s the only way people will find new opportunities, surmount new challenges, and gain new insights.
-Frans Johansson
Dikembe did not immediately sprout into such a stalwart defender, though. No, countless hours, months, and years of effort, planning, and work were poured into growing himself into the formidable force that many of us knew and love. Some of his family might even be surprised, given their thoughts when he was little. Dikembe himself said, “I was not very strong growing up, and my uncle used to look at me, like, ‘This kid is not growing up, he is growing tall but he can be broken like a banana.’ The banana in Congo is called ‘Dikembe.’ So my uncle start calling me ‘Dikembe, Dikembe, look at you Dikembe, you cannot even stand up.’ It took a long time for me to walk.” On his own timeline, we see what growing was accomplished as many in the league were known to fear his elbows.
Dikembe Mutombo was only the third player from Africa to be recruited to the NBA. That number is higher now, at least in part due to Mutombo’s efforts to pay it forward to future generations. He saw the possibility, actively advocating to grow the sport internationally.
"If I had not played basketball and made the millions of dollars that I made, I would never have been able to build a hospital in Congo. It started in 1997, and 10 years later I was able to unveil the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, named after my mother, in my hometown outside of Kinshasa. It was such a blessing." -Dikembe Mutombo
He did not even play college basketball initially during his first year at Georgetown. He had planned on becoming a doctor before being recruited to play ball. In the short-term, such a shift could be seen as selfish or frivolous. Why give up a selfless service in the name of the greater good for the sake of a sport? Rather than being a doctor himself, his years in the NBA enabled Dikembe to be wealthy enough to set up his own fund which now supports an entire hospital back in Congo, his home country. Being one doctor versus funding an entire hospital system. Such stunningly staggering growth.
I just love kids. As a kid, I grew up in a poor country with a poor family that had nothing. I loved anyone who could come into my life, in from the outside, and give me advice that could help me succeed. I believe that there are a lot of people who came into my life that made me
-Dikembe Mutombo
Dikembe Mutombo.
God put us here to prepare this place for the next generation.
-Dikembe Mutombo
That’s our job.
Raising children and helping the community, that’s preparing for the next generation.
Collective, community-wide growth.
Uplifting the whole for holistic growth.
I’m so glad I didn’t become a doctor, because I do more than any doctor can do. I am an administrator, a CEO, doctor, psychiatrist, an activist, a campaign funder. I think I did well.
-Dikembe Mutombo
Talk about personal growth while creatively flexing career tracks! Dikembe did not stop at being a basketball player. No, he leveraged that starting point to grow into so much more – an advocate, a humanitarian, a philanthropist. Like one of his apt nicknames, Dikembe Mutombo grew from a man into a mountain. As a result, his achievements allow us to now figuratively stand even taller upon his supportive summits of shoulders. Are you ready to grow, too, or are you tired or scared, fed up or frustrated? Stare at yourself in a mirror and smile as you wag a finger in front of your face and encouragingly say aloud, “no no nooo, not today.” Allow the levity of that moment to shed some light on your present. Focus on your next best step. Hone gradual growth. Chart your ascent. Do well.
Maybe it is wise. Maybe it is dumb. Time will tell.