What is Dikembe Mutombo’s net worth?
| Net Worth: | $75 Million |
|---|---|
| Age: | 56 |
| Born: | June 25, 1966 |
| Gender: | Male |
| Height: | 2.18 m (7 ft 2 in) |
| Country of Origin: | United States of America |
| Source of Wealth: | Professional NBA Player |
| Last Updated: | August 2, 2022 |
Introduction
Dikembe Mutombo is a former NBA defensive player who has used his retirement to further his humanitarian goals.
While he hasn’t played since 2009, he continues to increase his net worth via his foundation and his coffee company.
As of January 2023, Dikembe Mutombo’s net worth is estimated to be $75 Million.
Dikembe Mutombo Facts
- Dikembe Mutombo originally planned on becoming a doctor, but during his first semester at Georgetown University in 1987, he was recruited to play basketball and never looked back.
- After being drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 1991, Mutombo was selected for the All-Star team after averaging 16 points and 12 rebounds per game.
- The oldest player in the NBA at the time, Mutombo was forced to retire in 2009 after rupturing a tendon in his knee.
- Mutombo, through his foundation, funded the creation of the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital in the Congolese capital Kinshasa and he personally invested $18.5 million toward its construction.
- In 2021, Mutombo launched Mutombo Coffee, focusing on fostering female growers in the Congo and their participation in international trade.
Early Life
Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jaques Wamutombo was born June 25, 1966, in Kinshasa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one of 10 children born to Biamba Marie and Samuel Mutombo.
Dikembe grew up multi-lingual and today speaks English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and five Central African languages, including Tshiluba and Lingala.
A member of the Luba ethnic group, Dikembe attended Boboto College for high school, where he specifically studied for a medical career, hoping to become a doctor.
During his youth, he also played football but decided to take up basketball at the prompting of his brother and father due to his tall height.
In 1987, Dikembe moved to the United States to attend Georgetown University with the hope of studying medicine and pursuing a career as a doctor.
However, Hoyas basketball coach John Thomson recruited him to play basketball, and during his first year with the team, he impressed everyone by blocking 12 shots in a single game.
After graduating from Georgetown with a bachelor’s degree in diplomacy and linguistics in 1991, he declared himself for the NBA draft and was chosen by the Denver Nuggets as their fourth overall pick.
Career
Dikembe Mutombo started his NBA career with the Denver Nuggets, and he quickly established himself as one of the league’s best defensive players.
He was selected for his second All-Star game during his third season with the team and earned the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award.
After the end of the 1996 season, Mutombo was traded to the Atlanta Hawks, and Nuggets general Manager Bernie Bickerstaff later admitted that his biggest career regret was not keeping Mutombo on his team.
With the Atlanta Hawks, Mutombo signed a five-year contract for $55 million and, during his first two seasons with them, won the Defensive Player of the Year award back to back.
Mutombo stayed with the Hawks until 2001 when he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, and with them, he earned his fourth Defensive Player of the Year award.
Following his first season with the 76ers, Mutombo re-signed a one-year contract for $68 million as a free agent.
Once his contract expired, Mutombo joined the New Jersey Nets but only spent one season with them before moving to the New York Knicks in 2003.
In 2004, the New York Knicks traded him to the Chicago Bulls, but before the start of the season, the Bulls traded him to the Houston Rockets, who he would remain with until 2009.
While playing with the Houston Rockets, Mutombo became the oldest player in the NBA, and although he had intended to retire after the 2009 season, an injury forced him to retire early in the year before his farewell tour could conclude.
Dikembe Mutombo’s Career Earnings
While he never became one of the richest NBA players in the world, Dikembe Mutombo did very well for himself during his basketball career.
Some of his earnings throughout the years include:
- After being drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 1991, Mutombo earned an estimated $2 million per year until 1993, when his salary was boosted to $3 million, until 1996, when he left the team.
- Starting in 1996, Mutombo earned between $8 and $9 million annually, with his biggest season earnings coming in 2000, when his salary increased to $14 million.
- Dikembe Mutombo earned the most during the 2002-2003 season, when his annual salary was $16 million.
- Overall, before taxes, Dikembe Mutombo has earned approximately $140 million during his entire career in the NBA.
He may not have earned as much as Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan, but Mutombo has certainly earned a significant fortune as one of the most skilled defensive players.
Personal Life
Dikembe met his wife Rose while visiting Kinshasa in 1995, and today the couple has three children and live in Atlanta, Georgia.
In addition to their children, Dikembe and Rose have also adopted four children from Rose’s deceased brothers.
Dikembe was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters in 2004 by the State University of New York College at Cortland for his humanitarian work.
One of Dikembe’s sons, Ryan, currently plays college basketball for his father’s alma mater, Georgetown University, and his 7 ft 2 in height has made him a promising center player.
On his official Instagram account, Dikembe often posts about his humanitarian work and personal life, while on his official Twitter account, he posts about sports and his foundation.
Awards & Achievements
Dikembe Mutombo has earned many awards throughout his career and achieved a lot of success on the court.
Despite not being as well-known as Shaquille O’Neal, Mutombo has earned many awards and honors during his 18 seasons with the NBA.
Here are some of the most important distinctions Dikembe Mutombo has earned during his career:
- Dikembe Mutombo is an eight-time NBA All-Star, having been honored with the title in 1992, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2001, and 2002.
- Mutombo has been named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year four times: in 1995,1997, 1998, and 2001.
- In 2007, Dikembe Mutombo was invited to be a special guest at George W. Bush’s State of the Union address, where he was commended for his humanitarian work in the Congo.
- Dikembe Mutombo was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2015.
- In 2018, Mutombo earned the Sager Strong Award, an annual NBA award presented to trailblazers of the sport.
Although this is just the tip of the ice burg regarding Dikembe Mutombo’s awards and achievements, these have been some of the most important during his career.
How Does Dikembe Mutombo Spend His Money?
Dikembe Mutombo has more than enough money to buy almost anything he could ever want, but he spends the most on other people.
In 1997, the Mutombo Foundation started planning to build a $29 million, 300-bed hospital in the Congolese capital of Kinshasa, and since the NBA star had trouble bringing in donations, he personally donated $3.5 million himself.
While the project hit many snags during its construction in 2006, Mutombo donated another $15 million for the hospital’s grand opening.
For the 1996 Centennial Olympics in Atlanta, Mutombo also paid for the Zaire women’s basketball team to ensure that they could compete.
In 2021, he also started Mutombo Coffee, which focuses on coffee production by women growers in the Congo to help them participate more in the international market.
It seems that a lot of what Dikembe Mutombo does with his money is for the benefit of others, and we can’t help but feel inspired by his drive to make a difference in the world.
Highlights
As one of the most accomplished players in the NBA, Dikembe Mutombo has reached many amazing milestones during his time on the court.
However, some of his highest points have been more important than others regarding their impact on his net worth and fame.
Here are some of the best highlights of Dikembe Mutombo’s career:
- In 1991, Dikembe Mutombo was drafted by the Denver Nuggets as their fourth overall pick.
- Mutombo signed a $55 million contract as a free agent in 1995 with the Atlanta Hawks.
- In 1997, Mutombo started the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to help improve living conditions in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- Mutombo became the oldest player in the NBA to earn more than 20 rebounds in a single game in 2007.
- Dikembe Mutombo retired officially in 2009 after rupturing a tendon in his left knee.
Like the NBA players who became entrepreneurs, Dikembe Mutombo has achieved a lot during his career and after his retirement.
Favorite Dikembe Mutombo Quotes
Dikembe Mutombo may have earned his wealth from the NBA, but he has since moved on to humanitarian work in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Because of his investment in charity, Mutombo has spoken out often about how important it is to give back to the people who need it most.
Here are our favorite quotes from Dikembe Mutombo:
- “God put us here to prepare this place for the next generation. That’s our job. Raising children and helping the community, that’s preparing for the next generation.” – Dikembe Mutombo
- “There are people out there dying every day, so when you wake up, you just have to thank the Man Upstairs for another day on this planet. There’s not much else we can ask for.” – Dikembe Mutombo
- “When I travel around the globe, I try as hard as I can to represent the NBA and the game of basketball to the best of my abilities. I get to go around the world and not only share the game but also my philanthropic work. Building a hospital in the Congo is one of the proudest achievements of my life.” – Dikembe Mutombo
- “I’ve always had a passion for giving back. It’s a family tradition that comes from my devout parents. They were always giving back and serving the community. So when I became fortunate enough and blessed to play the game of basketball, I was also fortunate enough to follow in my parent’s footsteps and give back like the way they did.” – Dikembe Mutombo
- “I come from a large family, but I was not raised with a fortune. Something more was left with me, and that was family values.” – Dikembe Mutombo
3 Amazing Lessons From Dikembe Mutombo
There are many great lessons we can learn from Mutombo’s career in the NBA.
Now that you know all about Dikembe Mutombo’s net worth, we can take a look at what he can specifically teach us about reaching our own goals.
Here are some of the best success lessons to learn from Dikembe Mutombo:
1. Give Back When You Can
If you have the means, giving back to the people who have helped you become successful or even just helping out strangers is a great way to stay motivated.
Not only does giving back make you feel good, but it can genuinely help others achieve their own goals, which is always a positive thing.
2. Support Your Community
Community is important, and many NBA players have worked to help the areas they’ve come from in the past.
This is a great lesson for everyone, no matter how successful you are, because a positive change in your neighborhood can benefit both you and everyone around you.
3. Don’t Let Success Go To Your Head
When you’ve risen to a certain level of success, it’s easy to let it go to your head and corrupt you.
However, no one likes a tyrant or a pompous jerk, and if you’re unable to stay humble, it will only serve to tank your reputation.
Summary
Dikembe Mutombo is a former basketball player who has accumulated millions throughout his career and has become well-known for his humanitarian work.
While he may not be playing for the NBA anymore, he’s continued to earn money through his foundation to help improve impoverished lives in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Make sure to check back regularly, so you don’t miss any updates impacting Mutombo’s wealth.
As of January 2023, Dikembe Mutombo’s net worth is estimated to be $75 Million.
