CAPE TOWN – South Africa’s favourite artist, Sho Madjozi hosted NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo in episode nine of her show on the NBA Africa YouTube page.
Mutombo is an eight-time NBA All-Star, four-time Defensive Player of the Year and second shot blocker in NBA history.
During his chat with Sho Madjozi, he reflected on looking up to Hakeem Olajuwon during his basketball career, his eight-seeded Denver Nuggets defeating the top seeded Seattle SuperSonics in the first round of the 1994 NBA Playoffs, the importance of education and the launch of the Samuel Mutombo Institute of Science and Entrepreneurship in his native Congo in late July.
Mutombo was a part of the first NBA delegation to South Africa in 1993, as NBA Global Ambassador attended annual Basketball Without Borders Africa camps hosted in Johannesburg for over a decade and tied his laces one final time along another NBA Legend in Hakeem Olajuwon in the first NBA Africa Game held at Ellis Park Arena in Johannesburg in 2015.
On the toughest player he had to defend
“Hakeem Olajuwon was very gifted. He gave me a little bit of trouble and I was able to do my best. He was so good, my African brother.”
On being the second short blocker in NBA history behind Hakeem Olajuwon
“It made me feel good that I was able to follow his footsteps… He was my role model. He gave me hope to tell you the truth. Because we all came from the same place, same continent, we breath the same air from the motherland.
He made me believe that in life it’s not about where you come from, it’s about where you want to go. And I was able to chase that dream.”
On the growing popularity of basketball in Africa
“The future of basketball on the continent is great. We see so many young Africans who have come from the continent and who are becoming so passionate and make basketball become one of the most popular sports in Africa today.”
On the memorable defeat of the top seeded Seattle SuperSonics by the Denver Nuggets in the 1994 NBA Playoffs
“We did shock the world at that time. Nobody believed in us. A young team, we were capable to beat a great team like the Seattle SuperSonics. We did believe in ourselves. Because basketball is a game of five. I was fortunate to be surrounded by great 12 guys who did believe that whatever you do at the back, you just block the shots, we’re going to take care of everything else.
“I did break the NBA shot blocking record, almost like 25 blocked shots in five games. I waved the finger to anybody who came in like, no, no, no, not today.”
IOL Sport