3 NBA legends you forgot played for the Philadelphia 76ers

2. Dikembe Mutombo

Mutombo played for multiple teams over his 18-year career, and his best performance was with his first team, the Denver Nuggets, from 1991-1996. He also played five-year seasons with the Atlanta Hawks and the Houston Rockets. However, he briefly played with the 76ers from 2000-2002.

Mutombo is given credit for a lot of the 76ers success in the early 2000s. He was a well-rounded player with a strong ability to score, rebound and block. Mutombo joined the 76ers in the middle of the 2000-2001 season, and he was a big asset in getting the team to the Finals that season. He averaged 11.7 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in a short window of time.

Mutombo went on to play one of eight All-Star seasons with the 76ers in 2002. He averaged 11.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game before he was traded to the New Jersey Nets, now known as the Brooklyn Nets.

What makes Mutombo more unique than most is the fact that he didn’t grow up playing basketball. He began playing basketball at the age of 16 and never had the intention of playing professionally. He went to Georgetown University with the intention of becoming a doctor and came out being the fourth overall pick for the Denver Nuggets in 1991 at the NBA Draft. He quickly became one of the best players in the league.

Mutombo was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2015 and stood out for his ability to score and block. He led the NBA in blocked shots for five seasons straight and blocks per game for three. He remains the second-best shot-blocker in the history of the NBA with 3,289 career blocks total.

Mutombo may not be remembered as a 76er, but he certainly played a big part in their success.