Few in NBA history have been as intimidating a presence in the paint as Dikembe Mutombo was during his prime years in the league. Many a player learned not to fly in the “house of Mutombo” (aka, the restricted area) because he was always there with a blocked shot — and the finger wag and intimidating stare that followed.
As much as Mutombo made patrolling the paint his calling card during his heyday, he did likewise in winning NBA Defensive Player of the Year awards in that span, too. In the 1997-98 season, Dikembe Mutombo became the first player to win three career Defensive Player of the Year awards.
He won his first DPOY in 1994-95 with the Denver Nuggets, when he averaged 11.5 ppg, 12.5 rpg and 3.9 bpg. It was his second of three straight seasons with 300 or more blocks.
Mutombo finished third in DPOY voting in 1995-96 before claiming the trophy in 1996-97 and ‘97-98. While he won that first DPOY award in Denver, the last two came once Mutombo joined the Atlanta Hawks as a free agent. In the 1996-97 and ’97-98 seasons, he led the league in blocks both times (264 blocks in 1996-97; 277 in ’97-98).
And for good measure, Mutombo would win the DPOY award again in 2000-01 with the Sixers. In doing so, he became the oldest player ever (34) to win the award.
