Late Congolese-American National Basketball Association (NBA) Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo’s legacy in basketball and his role as a humanitarian icon will be celebrated this weekend on the Cable News Network (CNN) International’s magazine programme, African Voices Playmakers, sponsored by data solutions provider, Globacom.

Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukaba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo, who went by the moniker ‘Mount Mutombo’ owing to his defensive   capability, was born on June 25, 1966. Though he studied Medicine at Georgetown University in America, Dikembe instead became a professional basketballer, playing for   18 remarkable seasons in the NBA.  

Before succumbing to brain cancer in September, 2024, Dikembe created the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation to improve the living condition of his folks in the Democratic Republic of Congo where he hailed from. 

He equally  carved a niche for himself as a legend and a mentor to a new generation of African basketball players including his son, Ryan, his two nephews and other youngsters from the continent two of whom  are rising NBA stars, Yves Missi and Josh Okogie. 

The duo of 20-year-old Missi, a Cameroonian professional basketball player with the New Orleans Pelicans, and 26-year-old Nigerian-American shooting guard, Okojie, who plays for the Charlotte Hornets in the United States of America  will also be on the 30-minute show to talk about how Mutombo’s influence has continued to shape the future of the game and empower young athletes across Africa.  

The programme airs at 7.30 a.m. on Saturday with a repeat the same day at 11 a.m. On Sunday, other repeats will be broadcast at   3.30 a.m. and 6.p.m. and on Monday at 3.00 a.m. Further repeats come up at 7.30 a.m. and 11 a.m. on Saturday next week; Sunday at 4.30 a.m. and 7 p.m. and on Monday at 4 a.m.