Eight-time NBA all-star says his good friend Tiger Woods should be forgiven.
For someone who is 7-foot-2 and weighs around 120 kg, Dikembe Mutombo is a man of dual personalities. Even as his intimidating frame can be overwhelming, his soft, consoling voice comforts you at the same time. Similarly, known for his on-court antics, Mutombo’s charity work has earned him lot of respect not only among peers but also from former US president George Bush.
While NBA in India is more about the Kobe Bryants and the Shaquille O’Neals, Mutombo’s exploits cannot go unnoticed. A career that has spanned 18 years — featuring a superb eight times in the All-Star team and a defensive record better than that of Karim Abdul-Jabbar — Mutombo became the oldest player in NBA history last year when he played for Houston Rockets, before retiring from professional sport.
Before and in between, of course, are the countless visions of Mutombo going vertical, blocking shots for six different NBA franchises and punctuating most of them with a trademark wag of his long index finger.
In Mumbai for the inauguration of a refurbished basketball court at St Dominic Savio School (Andheri East), Mutombo sees the country as a fertile ground to produce basketball stars. “You don’t need height to play good basketball,” he begins.
“There are so many guys who are not even 6-foot-5 but still succeed. Look at Jason Kidd and Steve Nash. Height is not the only factor.”
In April this year, AC had Green inaugurated the first-ever refurbished basketball court in India at the Nagpada Neighbourhood House in Byculla. The NBA will develop these courts throughout India as a part of its long-term commitment to popularise the game.
“Don’t forget India has more than 1.5 billion people. The thing with basketball is that it’s a new sport for the Indians today. There’s been some interest from the Indians because of live telecast,” he says.
“Look what Yao Ming has done to China. Ever since his entry in NBA, basketball has grown by leaps and bounds in that country. Imagine how things would change if just one person from India makes it big,” he adds.
A friend of Tiger Woods, Mutombo is deeply hurt and upset with the current series of events in the life of the world’s best golfer.
“Whatever he has done, it’s his personal life. Tiger is a great ambassador for the sport, a great player and an even better human being. I don’t think what he does in his personal life should be our concern.”
“No one will look at the charity work Tiger has being doing. I think it has been blown out of proportion. No one is perfect and Tiger has shown he is a human being, after all. We should forgive him,” says Mutombo, mentioning Woods’s generous donation for a hospital Mutombo built in Congo.
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