Dikembe Mutombo made his presence felt in Philadelphia, earning DPOY honors during the 2000-01 season.
Philadelphia 76ers have seen many of the top players in the league play for their franchise. Five players have won the regular season MVP award while playing for the team, including Wilt Chamberlain being named MVP three times.
However, only one player has been named Defensive Player of the Year while playing for the franchise. Let’s discuss how Dikembe Mutombo earned the award in 2001.
Dikembe Mutombo – 2001
Dikembe Mutombo joined the Philadelphia 76ers midway through the 2000-01 season after playing 49 games with the Hawks. In his 26 regular-season games with the Sixers, he averaged 12.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game. His performance with both teams that season helped him earn the Defensive Player of the Year award, the fourth of his career.
The following season, Mutombo averaged 11.5 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.4 blocks, finishing third in Defensive Player of the Year voting. That would mark the final season of his brief but impactful time in Philadelphia. Over 106 regular-season games with the 76ers, he averaged 11.5 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks.
Before his time in Philadelphia, Mutombo played for the Nuggets, who drafted him fourth in the 1991 Draft, and the Hawks, winning multiple Defensive Player of the Year awards and leading the league in blocks per game three times. After leaving the Sixers, he spent time with the Nets, Knicks, and Rockets before retiring.
