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NBA: 30 greatest international players in league history

By Daniel Lubofsky

SAN ANTONIO - MAY 09: Guard Steve Nash #13 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball past Tony Parker #9 of the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 9, 2010 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
SAN ANTONIO - MAY 09: Guard Steve Nash #13 of the Phoenix Suns dribbles the ball past Tony Parker #9 of the San Antonio Spurs in Game Four of the Western Conference Semifinals during the 2010 NBA Playoffs at AT&T Center on May 9, 2010 in San Antonio, Texas. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /
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Dikembe Mutumbo
Dikembe Mutumbo (Photo credit should read JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP/Getty Images) /

Greatest international NBA players of all time: 9. Dikembe Mutumbo

It’s not often an NBA player makes such a large impact that he has his number retired by two separate organizations. That was exactly the case for Dikembe Mutombo during the 1990s, where his prowess at the defensive end helped carve out a career as one of the best at that end to ever do it.

He started as a member of the Denver Nuggets as the No. 4 overall pick back in 1991 and immediately got off to a hot start. Mutombo may not have won Rookie of the Year, but his 16.6 points, 12.3 rebounds and 3.0 blocks per game set him up nicely for what looked to be a bright future at the pro level.

Mutombo would ultimately spend five seasons in the Mile High, the highlight of which came during the 1994 playoffs where his eighth-seeded Nuggets knocked off the No. 1 seeded Seattle SuperSonics in the first round. It was the first time such an upset had occurred since the NBA adopted a new postseason format in 1984.

He averaged 12.9 points, 12.3 rebounds and a ridiculous 3.8 blocks per game. Mutombo led the league in swats for three straight years, and by the time his average fell below three in any single season, he had just wrapped up his third run with the Atlanta Hawks in what was ultimately his eighth NBA season.

As a member of the Hawks, Mutombo kept up his level of production for another five years averaging 11.9 points, 12.6 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game. The timing and awareness he had when it came to blocking shots was his own personal form of art. It helped him climb to No. 2 all-time in that department.

The last major stop for Mutombo was with the Philadelphia 76ers, where a mid-season trade for the eight-time All-Star helped Allen Iverson drag his team on a memorable run to the NBA Finals, only to lose in five games to the Lakers.

All in all, the man they called Mount Mutombo turned out to be a force at the defensive end. He won four Defensive Player of the Year awards — tied for the most all-time — on three separate teams with six All-Defensive team selections.

Most players tend to mark on the fancier side of the court with loads of buckets or maybe even assists. Mutombo was different, with contributions that may go unnoticed to those blind towards the fundamentals, but one that was more than enough to secure a spot in the Hall of Fame.