HAVERFORD, Pa. (AP) — Retired basketball great Dikembe Mutombo (dih-KEM’-beh moo-TUM’-boh) will be receiving an honorary degree from a suburban Philadelphia college.
Haverford College officials announced Friday that Mutombo will also make brief remarks to about 300 graduates at the May 15 commencement.
After an 18-year NBA career, Mutombo has focused on improving living conditions in his native Congo. He helped to fund a new hospital in the capital of Kinshasa, where he grew up.
Mutombo holds a bachelor’s degree in linguistics and diplomacy from Georgetown University. He speaks nine languages and has received numerous humanitarian awards.
The 7-foot-2 Mutombo played for NBA several teams, including the Philadelphia 76ers. Haverford is an elite liberal arts college just a few miles west of the city.
