Dikembe Mutombo to Receive Sager Strong Award

NBA Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo will receive the Sager Strong Award at this years’ NBA awards show next month.

The award is named after Craig Sager, a long time Turner Sports sideline reporter. The award is given annually to an individual who has been a trailblazer while exemplifying courage, faith, compassion and grace. Turner Sports and the NBA announced that Dikembe Mutombo will receive the award on Tuesday.

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The award comes in the form of a replica of the colorful suit jacket worn by the iconic Craig Sager. NBA fans will be familiar with it as the one he wore during his “Time is simply how you live your life” speech in 2016.

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Mutombo is a four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He set up the Dikembe Mutombo foundation improve conditions for people in his native Democratic Republic of the Congo.

The Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, opened in 2007, has since treated a quarter of a million people. Mutombo was named a global ambassador for the NBA by NBA Commissioner Emeritus David Stern in 2009.

He originally arrived in the United States on an academic scholarship to Georgetown in 1987. Legendary coach John Thompson invited him to try out for the basketball team. In 1991, Mutombo was a first round NBA draft pick. His NBA career went on to span 19 years before he retired in 2009.

Monty Williams was the first ever recipient of the Sager Strong award last year. Williams spent more than two decades as a player, coach and executive in the NBA. He worked with the Portland Trail Blazers, New Orleans Pelicans, Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs.

The 2018 NBA Awards on TNT will be held on Monday, 25 June.