18 year NBA vet Mutombo calls it quits

[Chardon]

Knee injury may end Mutombo's career
Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Houston Rockets center Dikembe Mutombo said his lengthy career is finished after a knee injury knocked him out of the Rockets' playoff game Tuesday night against the Portland Trail Blazers.

"For me, basketball is over," he said.

Mutombo, an 18-year NBA veteran, appeared to get tangled with Portland center Greg Oden and came down hard on his left leg late in the first quarter of Game 2 and did not return.

He stayed prone on the court under the Blazers' basket for several moments before he was taken away by stretcher. A preliminary examination revealed a knee strain.

Afterward in Houston's locker room, the 7-foot-2 veteran was on crutches and fighting back tears.

"Nobody ever thought they'd be carrying the big guy out like a wounded soldier," he said.

Mutombo, the league's oldest player at 42, will be examined by doctors in Houston on Wednesday.

"Dikembe is one of the statesmen of this league," teammate Shane Battier said. "There's not a better guy. To see him in pain is tough to see. He cares so much about this game that he doesn't want to end his career like that. That's the tragedy of it, too."

Mutombo is an eight-time All-Star who won the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year award four times and stands in second on the NBA's career blocks list with 3,289. He has played for Denver, Atlanta, Philadelphia, New Jersey, New York and Houston.

In 1,196 career games, Mutombo has averaged 9.8 points, 10.3 rebounds and 2.7 blocks.

Moreover, Mutombo is known for his humanitarian work. He founded the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation in 1997 to benefit the people of his homeland of Kinshasha in the Congo. In 2007, he opened the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital and Research Center there, named after his mother.

The Rockets re-signed Mutombo in December after he played in 39 games with the team the previous season. He was a free agent and had considered retirement.

He played in nine regular-season games with the Rockets, averaging 1.8 points, 3.7 rebounds and 1.22 blocks.

Mutombo played 18 minutes in Game 1 of the series and had nine rebounds. The Rockets won the opener, 108-81, before the Blazers evened the series with a 107-103 victory on Tuesday.

"I've had a wonderful 18 years of staying injury-free, so I just want to go out with my head up, no regrets," he said.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2009/news/story?id=4087774

 

[Man Called X]

Re: 18 year NBA Vet calls it quits

Should've just mentioned it was Dikembe. That's a shame.

 

[blank964]

Re: 18 year NBA Vet calls it quits

Hate to see him go out like that, he will always be remembered for the finger wag and his humanitarian work across the world.

 

[LeBeastJames]

Re: 18 year NBA Vet calls it quits

Damn, Dikembe was the bomb. Will be missed

 

[The Voice]

Re: 18 year NBA Vet calls it quits

Celtics will try and recruit him next year.

 

[Silky Smooth]

No more Mt. Mutombo?

 

[RonG]

Class act and even better human being. HOF first ballot.

 

[Cavatt]

That was awful. I felt so sad for him. He is a really great guy. I love that they use subtitles for him when he speaks english, and that finger wag is really about the funniest thing. I hope he recovers quickly and has no lasting effects.

 

[GilbertForPres]

I feel bad for him, i wish great luck for him in the future. Truly a great person.

 

[Wulfgar1224]

That was just an awful way to end a career. I felt so bad for the guy.

 

[-KingofKings23-]

Great dude. I always loved his finger wagging.

 

[breanna]

Terrible way to end his career. Such a great guy and player. I'll always love his finger wave.

 

[zmac]

Will be missed, sad way to end his career but kind of fitting the only thing stopping him was injuries, seemed like he would never leave

 

[Jon]

I won't miss his razor sharp elbows of doom ...

 

[Rick Astley]

So he's going away without a ring? Damn.