Hawks will celebrate an NBA legend on Monday

IIn honor of Hawks legend and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall-of-Famer Dikembe Mutombo, who died on Sept. 30, 2024, the Atlanta Hawks announced their plans yesterday.  In conjunction with the team's debut of its Fly City Edition Uniform 2.0 on Monday, Nov. 25, the Hawks will also unveil a new court decal as a tribute to Mutombo during the game against Dallas presented by Kaiser Permanente.  Mutombo had his No. 55 jersey retired by the franchise in 2015.

In addition to the court decal and for that night only, Hawks players will wear shooting shirts during pregame. They will also bring back his signature “No, No, No” taunt as a tribute to the legend and the lasting legacy he left behind. When Hawks players block shots throughout the game, audio of Mutombo’s iconic “No, No, no” will be pumped through the arena.  With 3,289 blocked shots during his career, Mutombo ranks second all-time in NBA history.   In honor of his illustrious career, the team will display a retrospective video on the scoreboard at halftime.  In addition, the Mutombo family will be honored during the evening’s events.

  Between 1996 and 2001, he played 343 games for the Hawks, averaging 11.9 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 3.2 blocks.   With 1,094 blocks, he ranks first in blocks per game and third in total blocks.   Mutombo has the most defensive rebounds in a season (853 in 1999-00) and is one of six Hawks to average at least 10.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per game (min. 300 games).  A four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year and eight-time NBA All-Star, he is also one of only three Hawks players to achieve a triple-double in points, rebounds, and blocks.