Did Mutombo deserve to have his number retired by the Nuggets?

[Smoke117]

I just turned on the game and his jersey was going up. He only spent 5 seasons there and the Nuggets had a losing record for 3 out of 5 of those years. lol They actually only have a winning record one season when he was there and it was a 42-40 record...the other year they were .500. The Nuggets must be desperate to put some jerseys up.

[bigkingsfan]

Yes
http://i.imgur.com/83G4v9a.jpg

[DCL]

mark eaton's jersey was retired in utah. look him up if you've never heard of him. this dude couldn't make a wide open 10 foot jumper to save his life, but he was an automatic swatting machine.

mutombo was another swat freak / layup destroyer. even though his offense wasn't great, he was still miles ahead of eaton at the other end.

if they retired eaton's jersey in utah, it's not strange to retire mutombo's jersey in denver.

plus, beating the #1 seed as the #8 seed was pretty historic.

[warriorfan]

mark eaton's jersey was retired in utah. look him up if you've never heard of him. this dude couldn't make a wide open 10 foot jumper to save his life, but he was an automatic swatting machine.

mutombo was another swat freak / layup destroyer. even though his offense wasn't great, he was still miles ahead of eaton at the other end.

if they retired eaton's jersey in utah, it's not strange to retire mutombo's jersey in denver.

plus, beating the #1 seed as the #8 seed was pretty historic.

End of Thread

[Prime_Shaq]

End of Thread
Afraid Curry won't get his jersey retired?

[warriorfan]

Afraid Curry won't get his jersey retired?
His jersey is already retired in your head. Hangs there rent free.

[NugzFan]

Definitely yes. Terrible thread by OP.

[CelticBaller]

Mutombo was one of the few highlights Denver had in the 90s

Yes

[TiagoSimoes]

His jersey is already retired in your head. Hangs there rent free.

Congrats on your first funny post ever.

You are still a trash poster thought.

[CuhGetsBucks]

Congrats on your first funny post ever.

You are still a trash poster thought.
Lmfaooo

[L.Kizzle]

He's in the Hall, of course.

Freaking Avery Johnson jersey is hanging up in San Antonio, and this is a question.

[Smoke117]

^^^ I don't pay attention to every jersey going up...I guess it doesn't mean much anymore to have your jersey retired...heat set a bad precedent when they retired Jordan's number. None of you can deny Mutombo accomplished exactly NOTHING on the nuggets...the guy, in general, is the 2nd most overrated defensive player ever after Kobe Bryant. I"m tired of hearing people manufacture up bullshit of what a great defensive player...Hakeem was muc much better, Robinson was much much better, Ewing was much better, Zo was much better...Mutombo was slow as hell and always poor at covering ground...that this guy has 4 DPOY awards and more than all of them is just embarassing.

[L.Kizzle]

^^^ I don't pay attention to every jersey going up...I guess it doesn't mean much anymore to have your jersey retired...heat set a bad precedent when they retired Jordan's number. None of you can deny Mutombo accomplished exactly NOTHING on the nuggets...the guy, in general, is the 2nd most overrated defensive player ever after Kobe Bryant. I"m tired of hearing people manufacture up bullshit of what a great defensive player...Hakeem was muc much better, Robinson was much much better, Ewing was much better, Zo was much better...Mutombo was slow as hell and always poor at covering ground...that this guy has 4 DPOY awards and more than all of them is just embarassing.
Well, no one is saying he's on the level of Jordan or even a Karl Malone. But he absolutely deserves to have his jersey hanging up in Denver. And it is Denver? They don't have a rich history of great players. He's the most recognized player to come through Denver. Just off the rop of my head.

Thompson
Issel
English

Those are the three jerseys hanging up in Denver.

And he is not an overrated defender, he won those DPOYs with all of the guys you listed in the league.

[smoove1986]

maybe it could have something to do with marketing? the nba tries to create a "legendary spirit" or something for every theam. I mean, look at all those other team's superstars whose number got retired while denver literally got nothing but skywalker and alex english worth mentioning. this franchise is 50 years old. nobody represents 90's nuggets....the era when nba was in its prime. I bet the nba still sells a shitload of 90's jerseys.
Don't know, just an assumption.

[NugzFan]

OP clearly got rejected by Mutombo when asking for an autograph.

Why else ask such a stupid question and hate on an all time great defensive player?

[Smoke117]

Well, no one is saying he's on the level of Jordan or even a Karl Malone. But he absolutely deserves to have his jersey hanging up in Denver. And it is Denver? They don't have a rich history of great players. He's the most recognized player to come through Denver. Just off the rop of my head.

Thompson
Issel
English

Those are the three jerseys hanging up in Denver.

And he is not an overrated defender, he won those DPOYs with all of the guys you listed in the league.


lol...so? You think you get a DPOY award you always actually deserve it? There are plenty of players who didn't deserve the DPOY awards they got. Mutombo didn't even deserve the first one he got in 95...Scottie Pippen did. They gave it to Mutombo because he averaged 4bpg and not because he was a better defensive player...it's a joke. He also got most of those DPOY awards when Hakeem, Robinson, and Ewing were old...so that doesn't mean a whole lot saying he got them while they were still playing. Besides, in 98 when he won it he wasn't a better defensive player than David Robinson OR Tim Duncan. David Robinson was also the best defensive player in the world in 96 (when they laughingly gave it to a pg) and would have been in 97 when jr basically missed the entire season, so Mutombo lucked out there. He also lucked out in 2001 when Zo, the player who won it the two previous years, sat out with his kidney ailment. Luck and bullshit have played a big role in the years he won DPOY.

As far as nugzman goes...I wouldn't want Mutombo's autograph if he walked up to me and offered it.

[L.Kizzle]

lol...so? You think you get a DPOY award you always actually deserve it? There are plenty of players who didn't deserve the DPOY awards they got. Mutombo didn't even deserve the first one he got in 95...Scottie Pippen did. They gave it to Mutombo because he averaged 4bpg and not because he was a better defensive player...it's a joke. He also got most of those DPOY awards when Hakeem, Robinson, and Ewing were old...so that doesn't mean a whole lot saying he got them while they were still playing. Besides, in 98 when he won it he wasn't a better defensive player than David Robinson OR Tim Duncan. David Robinson was also the best defensive player in the world in 96 (when they laughingly gave it to a pg) and would have been in 97 when jr basically missed the entire season, so Mutombo lucked out there. He also lucked out in 2001 when Zo, the player who won it the two previous years, sat out with his kidney ailment. Luck and bullshit have played a big role in the years he won DPOY.

As far as nugzman goes...I wouldn't want Mutombo's autograph if he walked up to me and offered it.
Even if you say a player here or there deserved the award aver him doesn't make him overrated.

[NugzFan]

Such a strange thing to get so upset over

Maybe mutombo didn't tip him well when OP served him food ?

[NBAGOAT]

lol...so? You think you get a DPOY award you always actually deserve it? There are plenty of players who didn't deserve the DPOY awards they got. Mutombo didn't even deserve the first one he got in 95...Scottie Pippen did. They gave it to Mutombo because he averaged 4bpg and not because he was a better defensive player...it's a joke. He also got most of those DPOY awards when Hakeem, Robinson, and Ewing were old...so that doesn't mean a whole lot saying he got them while they were still playing. Besides, in 98 when he won it he wasn't a better defensive player than David Robinson OR Tim Duncan. David Robinson was also the best defensive player in the world in 96 (when they laughingly gave it to a pg) and would have been in 97 when jr basically missed the entire season, so Mutombo lucked out there. He also lucked out in 2001 when Zo, the player who won it the two previous years, sat out with his kidney ailment. Luck and bullshit have played a big role in the years he won DPOY.

As far as nugzman goes...I wouldn't want Mutombo's autograph if he walked up to me and offered it.

:biggums: Wat the hell. On top of being a great player, he seems like a good guy from interviews. Also, hasn't he done a bunch of humanitarian work in Africa which is great. It's not like he even has criminal incidents.

[Overdrive]

If you isolate his Nuggets career definately not, but he is somewhat of an NBA legend and closely linked to them.

[L.Kizzle]

If you isolate his Nuggets career definately not, but he is somewhat of an NBA legend and closely linked to them.
Lol at somewhata legend. Dudesa HoF'er, has the most blocks in History, most DPOYs in history. 8 time All-Star? Like 5 time All NBA and probably 10 time All-D team.

[NugzFan]

Lol at somewhata legend. Dudesa HoF'er, has the most blocks in History, most DPOYs in history. 8 time All-Star? Like 5 time All NBA and probably 10 time All-D team.

:applause:

[NuggetsFan]

It's pretty simple. Denver doesn't have a rich history. Mutumbo came into the league with Denver and played 5 seasons with them. He came into the league super late and was close to 30 when he left Denver. Most of his career highs and best individual seasons happened in Denver outside of maybe that one Philly run he had. He was beloved in Houston but averaged like 15 minutes there. Had a great stint with Atlanta but played more games in Denver and had that historic series vs Seattle.

Had that stretch where he led the league in blocks for 3 straight years. Historic upset as the 8th seed vs 1st seed. Hardly "nothing" especially to a franchise like Denver. They took the Jazz to 7 games after that. Mutumbo averaged 5.8 blocks in the playoffs to along with 12 rebounds and 13 points. Jersey retirements aren't what most fans want them to be. Simply about the franchise and Mutumbo is one of the most iconic players for Denver, if not the most to some.

http://blogs.denverpost.com/nuggets/files/2014/05/dikembe-mutombo-495x327.jpg

[DCL]

funny story by jalen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAhDKcC3-dY

[Smoke117]

It's pretty simple. Denver doesn't have a rich history. Mutumbo came into the league with Denver and played 5 seasons with them. He came into the league super late and was close to 30 when he left Denver. Most of his career highs and best individual seasons happened in Denver outside of maybe that one Philly run he had. He was beloved in Houston but averaged like 15 minutes there. Had a great stint with Atlanta but played more games in Denver and had that historic series vs Seattle.

Had that stretch where he led the league in blocks for 3 straight years. Historic upset as the 8th seed vs 1st seed. Hardly "nothing" especially to a franchise like Denver. They took the Jazz to 7 games after that. Mutumbo averaged 5.8 blocks in the playoffs to along with 12 rebounds and 13 points. Jersey retirements aren't what most fans want them to be. Simply about the franchise and Mutumbo is one of the most iconic players for Denver, if not the most to some.

I guess I never realized how pathetic the Nuggets franchise was. Either way...you shouldn't have your number retired when all you mostly did was put up empty stats and lead your team to the lottery.


:biggums: Wat the hell. On top of being a great player, he seems like a good guy from interviews. Also, hasn't he done a bunch of humanitarian work in Africa which is great. It's not like he even has criminal incidents.

1. He wasn't a great player.
2. That's nice that he's a good guy, but I don't see what that has to do with not wanting his autograph.

[NuggetsFan]

I guess I never realized how pathetic the Nuggets franchise was. Either way...you shouldn't have your number retired when all you mostly did was put up empty stats and lead your team to the lottery.


Did you miss the part about the historic upset of a #1 seed? .. and yeah Nuggets obviously aren't a top tier franchise. Different franchises have different histories. Jersey retirement is franchise based.

Mutumbo/Denver is fine.

[Smoke117]

Did you miss the part about the historic upset of a #1 seed? .. and yeah Nuggets obviously aren't a top tier franchise. Different franchises have different histories. Jersey retirement is franchise based.

Mutumbo/Denver is fine.

That's why I said mostly...and let's be honest here, that choke by the Sonics said more about Seattle than it did about the Nuggets.

[NuggetsFan]

That's why I said mostly...and let's be honest here, that choke by the Sonics said more about Seattle than it did about the Nuggets.

I'd disagree. The Nuggets took the Jazz to 7 games the next series. Nuggets just pulled off one of the biggest upsets ever in a sport that isn't known for them. Obviously can argue matchup, fluke, luck etc. but that's not really how sports work. GS as an 8th seed was an awful matchup for Dallas. Doesn't take away the fact it was a historic upset much like even if you think it says more about Seattle than Denver it still happened.

Mutumbo was an All-Time great defensive player with Denver. Led the league in blocks. Helped lead one of the most historic playoff upsets in NBA history. Nuggets aren't a franchise stacked with amazing players nor do they have great history so I see no issue here :confusedshrug:

Not every team can have Boston's or L.A's history. Doesn't mean they shouldn't reward players or fans. Deke is an important part of Nuggets history so he got his jersey retired. Great guy, great player, great Nugget.

[Ai2death]

I believe his countless contributions towards society as a whole contributed to his jersey being retired. He is just a straight up generous well liked guy

[L.Kizzle]

I guess I never realized how pathetic the Nuggets franchise was. Either way...you shouldn't have your number retired when all you mostly did was put up empty stats and lead your team to the lottery.



1. He wasn't a great player.
2. That's nice that he's a good guy, but I don't see what that has to do with not wanting his autograph.
He's not Baron Davis. Mutombo is an important part of the NBA, he's in the record books.

[jlip]

mark eaton's jersey was retired in utah. look him up if you've never heard of him. this dude couldn't make a wide open 10 foot jumper to save his life, but he was an automatic swatting machine.

mutombo was another swat freak / layup destroyer. even though his offense wasn't great, he was still miles ahead of eaton at the other end.

if they retired eaton's jersey in utah, it's not strange to retire mutombo's jersey in denver.

plus, beating the #1 seed as the #8 seed was pretty historic.

I'm not saying that Mutombo doesn't deserve to have his jersey retired by the Nuggets, but Deke's career in Denver and Eaton's career in Utah are not really analogous situations. Mark Eaton played his entire 11 year career with the Jazz. Every single accomplishment he ever attained was done as a member of the Jazz. Mutomobo had 5 productive seasons with the Nuggets but achieved the majority of his success (individual and team) with other franchises.

[MiseryCityTexas]

I just turned on the game and his jersey was going up. He only spent 5 seasons there and the Nuggets had a losing record for 3 out of 5 of those years. lol They actually only have a winning record one season when he was there and it was a 42-40 record...the other year they were .500. The Nuggets must be desperate to put some jerseys up.

Mutombo knocked the Sonics out of the play-offs. jersey should be retired off of that alone.

[Lebron23]

Yes. Nuggets beating the Sonics was one of the greatest playoffs upsets of all time.

[GrapeApe]

I believe his countless contributions towards society as a whole contributed to his jersey being retired. He is just a straight up generous well liked guy

Bingo. Aside from being a HOF player, he's alwys been a great humanitarian and ambassador for the league. I'm sure he was also a pillar of the community in his time in Denver. Mutombo, by all accounts, is one of the most well liked and well respected players in league history. That kind of stuff is taken into consideration.