Dikembe Mutombo was known for his stifling defense during his NBA career and many people know him for his finger wag celebration. During a recent interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Mutombo spoke about his popular finger wag celebration.
“Isn’t it crazy? Many people don’t even how many blocked shots I had in my career, but they know my GEICO commercial. Everywhere I go now, I hear, “No, no, no!” And I say, “No, my name is Mutombo!”
Throughout his Hall of Fame career, Dikembe Mutombo dominated on the defensive end, blocking a total of 3,289 shots, which is the second-most in NBA history. Mutombo would block a shot from an offensive player and would proceed to wag his finger in their face, leading to plenty of fines from the league.
“I never thought what I was doing on the basketball court would become a signature part of my life. To me, it was fun to do it, even though I was fined so many times for it. People forget that. I lost a lot of money on that finger wag; I got so many technical fouls. I had so many conversations with the commissioner about it, but it all worked”
Ever since his playing career ended, Mutombo's finger wag has become well-known due to his appearance on a famous GEICO commercial and other appearances, like his recent cameo in Coming 2 America. But the retired big man has also been busy taking part in philanthropy, including his foundation that helps provide health care to people in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Whenever people block a shot on the court, sometimes they'll taunt the opposing player with a finger wag. In light of that, Mutombo is excited to see that he left a lasting mark on the generations after him.
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