NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo has sadly passed away in Atlanta, surrounded by his wife and family, after battling brain cancer for two years. He was an eminent figure in sports, boasting an illustrious career spanning almost two decades. Nicknamed “Mount Mutombo,” he is considered one of the greatest shot-blockers in basketball history.
Without further ado, here is everything we know about Dikembe Mutombo’s wife and family.
Who is Dikembe Mutombo’s wife?
Dikembe Mutombo’s wife is Rose Mutombo, not to be confused with the lawyer and politician of the same name from DR Congo.
Mutombo met Rose in 1995 during a visit to Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At the time, she was an English student and had no idea who the NBA star was. Mutombo recalls that upon their first meeting, Rose asked him a straightforward question: “Are you married, sir?” Although taken aback, Mutombo quickly turned to his brother and said, “I think I’m going to marry her” (via NBC News). Rose later accompanied Mutombo to the United States, and the couple tied the knot soon after.
What is Rose Mutombo’s job?
There is no publicly available information about Rose Mutombo’s professional career, so it can be speculated that she is a homemaker.
Throughout their marriage, she has been a supportive pillar for Mutombo until his passing. The couple made numerous public appearances over the years and raised a beautiful family together.
How many kids do Dikembe and Rose Mutombo have?
Dikembe and Rose Mutombo have three biological children and adopted four more (via Distractify).
Among their biological children is Ryan Mutombo, who has followed in his father’s footsteps to pursue a professional basketball career. He played three seasons for Georgetown University before transferring to Georgia Tech for the 2024-2025 season. It remains to be seen if he will make it to the NBA.
In addition to their biological children, Dikembe and Rose adopted four children from Rose’s deceased brothers. Two of them, Harouna Mutombo and Mfiondu Kabengele, are also professional basketball players. Harouna had a successful college basketball career, and Kabengele briefly played in the NBA for the Los Angeles Clippers, the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Boston Celtics.
