Dikembe Mutombo was easily one of the greatest defensive big men to ever play basketball. He was also one of the funniest people on the planet.
Mutombo, who tragically died at 58, had an iconic celebration whenever he blocked a shot. His finger wag was one of the greatest taunts in sports history and we saw him pull it out during some iconic moments both on and off the court.
While many remember him for his impact on the game, others may recall that he was the star of a particularly memorable commercial. Mutombo starred in an ad for GEICO in which he blocked various everyday items into oblivion.
RIP Dikembe Mutombo — legendary player, philanthropist, and star of the greatest commercial ever: pic.twitter.com/j027X6kxlC
— Scott Thomas (he / him / his) (@OGScottieT) September 30, 2024
During this ad, which released in February 2013, he blocked shots in the real world. The idea is that the way he played the game, winning four Defensive Player of the Year awards, made him so genuinely happy.
He also used his catchphrases like “no, no, no” as well as “not in my house” and “not today” with his amazing laugh, shattering everything in his sight and running away with child-like joy.
This commercial was amazing and so was Mutombo. He will be missed dearly.
