SportsNews
NBA star Dikembe Mutombo dies at 58 from brain cancer
The basketball legend, who played 18 seasons in the NBA, earned recognition as one of the league’s best defenders. After his retirement, he devoted time to improving the lives of citizens in his native country, Congo.
Congolese-American basketball player Dikembe Mutombo, one of the greatest defenders in NBA history, has passed away due to brain cancer, according to the league.
Mutombo, who was 58 years old, was diagnosed with a brain tumor two years ago. Since then, he had been receiving treatment in Atlanta, USA.
“My dad is my hero because he simply cared. He remains the purest heart I’ve ever known,” wrote his son, Ryan Mutombo, on social media.

Mutombo is one of only two players in history to win the Defensive Player of the Year award four times
© Jeff Siner/Charlotte Observer/TNS/picture alliance
Nearly two decades at the top
Mutombo played 18 seasons in the NBA, during which he was an eight-time NBA All-Star and a four-time Defensive Player of the Year.
Throughout his career, he played for Denver, Atlanta, Houston, Philadelphia, New York, and the then-New Jersey Nets, averaging 9.8 points and 10.3 rebounds per game.
His 7-foot-2 (2.18 meters) height helped him become one of the league’s top shot-blockers. By the end of his career, he had blocked 3,289 shots, putting him second all-time in NBA rankings.
His gesture of wagging his index finger after blocking an opponent’s shot, and often telling them “not in my house,” remained his trademark long after retirement.
Thanks to his incredible career, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015.

Mutombo is one of only three players in history to have been named Defensive Player of the Year four times
© Jeff Haynes/AFP
A life dedicated to basketball and humanitarian work
Mutombo retired in 2009 to focus on his personal foundation, which worked to improve health, education, and the quality of life for people in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
One of his most notable projects was the construction of a hospital in his home country, for which he was honored with the US President’s Volunteer Service Award.

Mutombo was highly active in the DRC after retirement, and in 2022 helped show Secretary of State Anthony Blinken around Kinshasa
© Andrew Harnik/AP/picture alliance
He also became the NBA’s first global ambassador and served on the boards of Special Olympics International, the CDC Foundation, and the US Fund for UNICEF.
The NBA community floods social media with condolences
The news of his death sparked numerous reactions and messages from NBA players and staff.
“Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life. On the court, he was one of the greatest shot blockers and defensive players in the history of the NBA. Off the floor, he poured his heart and soul into helping others,” said NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.
“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans, and really the whole world. Other than what he’s accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court. He’s one of the guys that I look up to, as far as having an impact, not just on the court, but off the court. He’s done a lot of great things,” Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid said.
76ers President Daryl Morey, who played with Mutombo in Houston, was also shaken by the news.
“There aren’t many guys like him. Just a great human being. When I was a rookie general manager in this league, my first chance in Houston, he was someone I went to all the time,” Morey said.
“He was always there to talk to me and advise me on how to approach the season and take care of my body and icing after games and stretching and trying different things like yoga,” Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo said.

After his retirement, Mutombo continued to be involved in basketball
© Giants of Africa
SportsNews
EPL: Fulham must move on from defeat to Manchester City — Iwobi
Alex Iwobi says Fulham must stay positive despite their 5-4 defeat to Manchester City at Craven Cottage on Tuesday.
Marco Silva’s side put up a spirited display in the encounter, and were unlucky not to get at least one point.
Iwobi started the fight back by scoring the second goal for Fulham early in the second half.
The versatile midfielder’s compatriot, Samuel Chukwueze then rose from the bench to score two more goals for the Cottagers.
Manchester City, however, held on to go home with maximum points.
Iwobi stated that they deserved more from the game.
“I feel disappointed because we didn’t get anything out of the fighting spirit that we showed, but I think we have to take the positivity from the game,” Iwobi told the club’s official website.
Fulham will be away to Crystal Palace in their next Premier League game on Sunday.
SportsNews
EPL: Guardiola names team that impresses him everyday
Manchester City boss, Pep Guardiola has named the Premier League club that has impressed him so much this season.
The Spaniard said that Enzo Maresca’s side have really impressed him with the improvement they make everyday.
Speaking after Manchester City beat Fulham 5-4 in the Premier League on Tuesday night, Guardiola pointed out that a team must remain consistent to win the title.
Pep Guardiola’s side closed the gap at the top of the Premier League to just two points behind Arsenal with the victory over Fulham, but the Gunners could maintain their five points lead with a win over Brentford on Wednesday night.
“Chelsea impresses me more and more every day with Enzo [Maresca], but it’s long,” he told reporters after the win.
“Premier League is so long, many things will happen. We won six Premier Leagues, four or five when we in December, January or February we were behind.
“The team who wins the Premier League is the team who grows during the months and this is what we try to do. No injuries, it’s so long.
“But at the same time, if we push, we will be better and push ourselves and control the situations better, the emotions and we will see what happens.”
SportsNews
Outrage As ‘Biological Male’ Wins World’s Strongest Woman Event in Texas (Photos)
The 2025 World’s Strongest Woman final has sparked outrage after an alleged transgender athlete won gold.
American Jammie Booker, who is accused of being a biological male, beat Great Britain’s Andrea Thompson to victory at the event in Arlington, Texas.
According to Mail Online, Thompson walked off the podium, appearing to say ‘this is bulls***,’ while Booker celebrated. The Brit has since been crowned the ‘true World’s Strongest Woman’ by her coach and some of her peers.

Rebecca Roberts, a three-time winner of World’s Strongest Woman, has sensationally claimed that no one – not even the organizers – knew about Booker’s background.
Details on the American are not clear, but the publication sighted a YouTube video – uploaded to what appears to be Booker’s YouTube channel in September 2017, with Booker saying: ‘Everyone is dying to tell their own story and I am obviously no exception to that.
‘I’m 21-year-old trans woman with a history of abuse, struggling to stay true to herself while under the rule of her religious parents.’
On Monday night, Roberts posted a picture on Instagram that read ‘Protect Women’s Sports.’ She wrote alongside the picture: ‘I hold no hate toward transgender people. Everyone deserves dignity, respect, and the freedom to live their truth.

But I cannot stay silent about something that threatens the fairness and future of women’s strength sports. Transgender women, people born male, should not be competing in the women’s category.
This isn’t about identity. It isn’t about politics. It’s about the undeniable physical differences that exist in strength-based sports… differences that don’t disappear, and that matter more here than almost anywhere else. Women’s categories were created for a reason, and if we lose that, we lose the foundation of our sport.
‘What happened this weekend wasn’t transparent. None of us knew. Not even the organisers knew. And when fairness is taken by surprise, trust in the sport begins to crack.
‘My message is simple. Trans people belong in sport, but women’s divisions must remain biologically born female-only.
‘I love this sport. I have given my life to it. And I won’t ignore something that could quietly change it forever. Congratulations to @andreathompson_strongwoman… the true World’s Strongest Woman 2025’
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