Dikembe Mutombo commands attention, and it's not because he towers over people at 218 cm, or the fascinating fact that he speaks nine languages (including five African dialects) or blocked 3,289 shots during his 18-season NBA career. Simply put, the big fellow has lived a remarkable life.
Who else entertains dinner guests with stories about Hakeem Olajuwon, the U.S. Secret Service, George W. Bush, George Foreman, Muhammad Ali, Allen Iverson (and his practice habits), Larry Brown and Jeff Van Gundy?
Who else has the vision, patience and generosity to build a $29 million, 300-bed hospital in Kinshasa, where political corruption would dissuade all others with the resources from picking up the bill?