Editing Dikembe Mutombo (section)

===Denver Nuggets (1991–1996)===
In the [[1991 NBA draft]], the [[Denver Nuggets]] selected Mutombo with the fourth overall pick.<ref>{{cite news|last=Goldaper|first=Sam|title=The Final Word on Draft: Trades|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/28/sports/basketball-the-final-word-on-draft-trades.html|access-date=March 3, 2016|work=The New York Times|date=June 28, 1991}}</ref> The Nuggets ranked last in the NBA in opponent points-per-game and Defensive Rating,<ref>{{cite news|title=1990–91 Denver Nuggets Roster and Stats|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/DEN/1991.html|access-date=March 3, 2016|publisher=Basketball Reference}}</ref> and Mutombo's shot-blocking ability made an immediate impression across the league. He developed his signature move, in which he would celebrate every blocked shot by pointing his right index finger at the opposing player and moving it side to side,<ref>{{cite news|last=Sheridan|first=Chris|title=Mutombo's legacy to last beyond hoops|url=https://www.espn.com/nba/playoffs/2009/columns/story?columnist=sheridan_chris&page=Mutombo-090422|access-date=March 3, 2016|work=ESPN.com|date=April 30, 2009}}</ref> in 1992 as a way to become more marketable and gain product-endorsement contracts.<ref>{{cite news|last=Blau|first=Max|title=How Dikembe Mutombo's Finger Changed The NBA|url=https://www.buzzfeed.com/maxblau/how-dikembe-mutombos-finger-changed-the-nba#.yl9eQZZO1|access-date=March 3, 2016|publisher=BuzzFeed|date=June 4, 2014}}</ref> That year, Mutombo starred in an [[Adidas]] advertisement that used the catchphrase "Man does not fly&nbsp;... in the house of Mutombo", a reference to his prolific shot-blocking.<ref name="A to Z"/>

As a rookie, Mutombo was selected for the [[1992 NBA All-Star Game|All-Star team]] and averaged 16.6 points, 12.3 rebounds and nearly three blocks per game.<ref>{{cite news|first=Julian|last=Rubinstein|title=MUTOMBO: BIG STAR OVER THE ROCKIES|date=December 20, 1992|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/sports/1992/12/21/mutombo-big-star-over-the-rockies/a3724f62-c49f-442e-b38a-0eb2de0cde27/|access-date=October 1, 2024}}</ref> Mutombo quickly began to establish himself as one of the league's best defensive players, regularly putting up big rebound and block numbers.

The [[1993–94 Denver Nuggets season|1993–94 season]] saw Denver continue to improve with Mutombo as the franchise cornerstone. During that season, Mutombo averaged 12.0 points per game, 11.8 rebounds per game and 4.1 blocks per game.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01/gamelog/1994/|title=Dikembe Mutombo 1993–94 Game Log|website=Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref> With that, he helped the Nuggets finish with a 42–40 record and qualify as the eighth seed in the playoffs. They were matched up with the top-seeded [[1993–94 Seattle SuperSonics season|63–19 Seattle SuperSonics]] in the first round.<ref name=nba_03032016/>

After falling to an 0–2 deficit in the five-game series, Denver won three straight games to pull off a major [[1994 NBA playoffs|playoff upset]], becoming the first eighth seed to defeat a number one seed in an NBA playoff series.<ref name=nba_03032016>{{cite news|title=Eighth-Seeded Nuggets Upset Sonics|url=http://www.nba.com/history/94nuggets_moments.html|access-date=March 3, 2016|publisher=NBA|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070629151051/http://www.nba.com/history/94nuggets_moments.html|archive-date=June 29, 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref> At the end of Game 5, Mutombo memorably grabbed the game-winning rebound and fell to the ground, holding the ball over his head in a moment of joy.<ref>{{cite news|last=Schaller|first=Jake|title=Mutombo memories|url=http://gazette.com/mutombo-memories/article/52304|access-date=March 3, 2016|work=The Gazette|date=April 22, 2009|archive-date=March 7, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160307080606/http://gazette.com/mutombo-memories/article/52304|url-status=dead}}</ref> Mutombo's defensive presence was the key to the upset victory; his total of 31 blocks remains a record for a five-game series.<ref name="A to Z">{{cite news|title=Denver Nuggets A to Z: Dikembe Mutombo|url=https://www.nba.com/nuggets/news/denver-nuggets-z-dikembe-mutombo|access-date=March 3, 2016|publisher=NBA|date=August 13, 2014}}</ref> In the second round of the playoffs, the Nuggets fell to the [[1993–94 Utah Jazz season|Utah Jazz]], 4–3.<ref name=nba_03032016/>

The next season, Mutombo was selected for his second All-Star game and received the [[NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award]]. Denver failed to build on its success from the previous playoffs, as Mutombo lacked a quality supporting cast around him.

During his last season with the Nuggets, Mutombo averaged 11.0 points per game, 11.8 rebounds per game and a career-high 4.5 blocks per game.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mutomdi01/gamelog/1996/|title=Dikembe Mutombo 1995–96 Game Log|website=Basketball-Reference.com}}</ref> At the conclusion of the 1995–96 season, Mutombo became a free agent, and reportedly sought a ten-year contract, something the Nuggets considered impossible to offer. [[Bernie Bickerstaff]], then the Nuggets' general manager, later said not bringing back Mutombo was his biggest regret as GM.<ref>{{cite news|last=Dempsey|first=Christopher|title=Bickerstaff: 'Only regret' as Nuggets GM was not re-signing Mutombo|url=http://blogs.denverpost.com/nuggets/2015/09/11/bickerstaff-only-regret-as-nuggets-gm-was-not-re-signing-mutombo/13292/|access-date=March 3, 2016|work=[[The Denver Post]]|date=September 11, 2015}}</ref>