LAIE, Hawaii – Per week ago, Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga was driving to work optimistic about a potential breakout NBA All-Star season. But because the DRC native approached the Chase Center, his joy turned to sadness when he learned that his legendary compatriot Dikembe Mutombo had died.

“I was driving to the arena with a friend on media day, listening to music and driving to ‘The City’ (San Francisco),” Kuminga said Oct. 4 during Warriors practice at BYU-Hawaii. “He opened his Instagram and the primary photo that appeared was of Mutombo’s death. And then I turned off the music. We just stayed silent and didn’t consult with one another for a while.

“I began considering, ‘Why? What’s up? What’s occurring? It was bad news to listen to it so early. Overall bad news. It was very sad. I knew he was sick. A number of months ago I texted him to ascertain on him. I knew he was sick, but I didn’t know he was very, very sick.

Mutombo died on September 30 on the age of 58 from brain cancer. The Basketball Hall of Famer ranks second in NBA history in blocks behind fellow African Hakeem Olajuwon. The eight-time NBA All-Star was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year 4 times and had his No. 55 jersey retired by the Denver Nuggets and Atlanta Hawks.

Mutombo could also be remembered much more as a humanitarian. The NBA’s first global ambassador opened a much-needed hospital and faculty in his hometown of Kinshasa. Mutombo also played perhaps the most important role in persuading the NBA to start out the African Basketball League and was a regular at BAL events.

“I knew about Mutombo before I knew about the most popular NBA players like Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar) and all the other greats. My dad always talked about him and played against him growing up,” said Kuminga, whose hometown of Goma is about a three-hour flight from Kinshasa. “(Mutombo) built a big hospital to assist the numerous individuals who were in search of him. There was no hospital in Congo that performed many tests, akin to MRIs. The hospital was also built in his mother’s name. It was great that he did it.

“Many of my people from my hometown went to India and South Africa to get medical attention. They don’t even have to go that far anymore. They just need to go to Mutombo Hospital. He also meant a lot to the student-athletes (from Congo). It means everything.”

Starting at small forward, Kuminga scored seven points on 3-of-8 shooting from the sector, 7 assists and 4 rebounds in 19 minutes in the Warriors’ 91-90 opener victory over the LA Clippers on the Stan Sheriff Center on the University of Hawaii on October 5. Kuminga said Mutombo was his mentor, with whom he normally spoke via text message, and added that the last time he saw Mutombo was two years ago, when the Warriors were playing preseason games in Japan.

“The last time I saw Mutombo he said, ‘Just keep doing it, keep working. You will have a great future. Always remember where you come from,” Kuminga said.

The Democratic Republic of Congo has produced several NBA players akin to Mutombo, Kuminga, Bismack Biyombo, DJ Mbenga, Christian Eyenga, Emmanuel Mudiay and Oscar Tshiebwe. Not only does Mutombo have probably the most noteworthy basketball resume, but he was also the one player to seem in the NBA All-Star Game.

Over the previous three seasons, Kuminga had shown flashes of NBA All-Star talent. The 6-foot-10, 225-pound athlete posted profession averages of 16.1 points and 4.8 rebounds in 26.4 minutes last season. With guard Klay Thompson heading to the Dallas Mavericks this summer as a part of a signing, Kuminga is predicted to play a much larger role offensively alongside Warriors star Stephen Curry. 2025 NBA All-Star Game scheduled for San Francisco Kuminga has additional motivation and a person goal of appearing in the All-Star Game for the primary time this season.

“This is my trajectory. That’s what I’ve been working on,” Kuminga said. “I did as much as I could, practicing, getting my body ready, learning the sport and dealing on things defensively. It’s just a matter of once we start playing now and I can show what I’ve been working on and the way my game has developed.

“We have a different team. I’m unsure what’s going to occur. But whatever happens, my mind is prepared for anything.

Asked about expectations for Kuminga, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said: “He needs to maintain improving because he’s on the correct track. Everyone is doing higher. The three-point shot is a big deal, especially in today’s NBA. If he can catch and shoot consistently, it can open things up for each him and others.

“Defensively, I just keep getting better and we use that athleticism, that strength, in a way that really impacts our opponents. These are the things we focus on.”

Kuminga, who turned 22 on Sunday, also hopes to increase his contract with the Warriors. The Warriors and Kuminga have expressed mutual interest in wanting to agree on an extension before the Oct. 21 rookie extension deadline. Kuminga is making $7.6 million in the ultimate 12 months of his contract and can be a restricted free agent in 2025 if a contract extension is just not agreed upon by the deadline.

“My agent is handling it. I need to focus on what I’m trying to achieve. The more I achieve, the more these things take care of themselves,” Kuminga said.

After Mutombo’s departure, there are several African basketball stars in the NBA, and there are potential stars on the horizon.

There were 19 African-born players in the NBA last season, including Kuminga, 2023 NBA MVP Joel Embiid and Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam. NBA Academy Africa has also paid dividends recently, as Duke signed center Khaman Maluach, the Toronto Raptors signed big man Ulrich Chomche, and the Utah Jazz signed Babacar Sane to an Exhibit 10 contract.

Kuminga is confident that Mutombo’s legacy will continue to exist amongst current and future African NBA players.

“I’m just trying to be great here and do the best I can,” said Kuminga, who last visited Congo after the Warriors won the 2022 NBA championship. “Mutombo did every thing he could and got here back and it helped. That’s what it’s all about. Do as much as you may, whatever it’s, so long as you give back and show the remainder of us how much it matters.

“I helped. I’m sending some stuff back. Helping people. Giving back the shoes. Helping some kids. When I come back someday, I’m working on organizing a camp and helping some (Congolese) students by providing them with scholarships for school and education.”

Before they became husband and wife, parents and two-time Super Bowl champions, Bryan Cook and Jayla Thornton-Cook were student-athletes who spent their freshman yr at Howard University. In a recent interview with People MagazineJayla, who played on the HBCU women’s basketball team, recalls becoming friends with Bryan during summer classes.

“It’s funny – back then we argued every day. We were best friends, but we argued constantly. I thought, ‘This man always has something to say, whether it’s a witty comment or a joke,'” she said, explaining how they often bonded over food in the campus dining hall and at Chipotle. “That’s the best way for student-athletes to bond — eating together in the cafeteria.”

While the two became close, their athletic journeys separated them when Jayla moved to Syracuse to play basketball while Bryan continued his football profession at Howard. Four years later, Bryan transferred to the University of Cincinnati to join the football team and started training in Virginia. At the same time, Jayla returned to Washington to reap the benefits of her sixth yr of eligibility by playing for George Washington University after graduating from Syracuse. Finally being close to one another again, the two took the opportunity to rekindle their relationship.

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“As we grew older, I realized what I was really looking for in a partner. When I started feeling feelings for Bryan, it was funny to me. I thought, “Oh, it’s Bryan. How funny is that? But it all made sense as my feelings deepened,” she added. “But when we matured, everything changed. A big part of it was watching each other grow. We were both focused on our individual goals and it was inspiring to watch him chase his dreams while I worked to achieve mine.”

The duo has supported one another over the years. While Bryan was entering his rookie yr with the Kansas City Chiefs, Jayla was playing basketball and earning her degree at George Washington University. Although she watched his games from her dorm during her senior yr in the program, she remembers missing classes and practices to watch Bryan win his first Super Bowl.

“Watching him reach his highest level has been incredibly rewarding for me, especially since he’s not just my partner; he was always my best friend,” she said, recalling the “joy on his face” when the Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles.

“I try to be there for him mentally and emotionally, which has been key, especially understanding the physical demands of the NFL,” she added. “The biggest challenge I remember from his rookie yr was coping with the emotional, mental and spiritual points of adjusting so quickly. It’s your dream, but when it happens so quickly, nobody gives you a playbook on how to take care of it, especially in the NFL.

Today, Jayla and Bryan are married and have a daughter, Jaycee, whom they welcomed in August. Whether it’s home or away games, Jayla continues to support her husband throughout the football season, explaining that she wants to see him “accomplish everything he has set out for himself” in and outdoors of football.

While balancing life with a newborn and a rigorous soccer schedule has proven to be a necessity, the family’s mantra is “grace,” which Jayla says has helped them each navigate these changes.

“It has been a difficult but rewarding journey, and focusing on grace has made a significant difference for us,” she said. “It’s definitely a new chapter for us, but my main goal is to see us start to come to grips with it and be able to appreciate where we are in life.”