The sports world is mourning the passing of NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo ... and some basketball figures gave their reactions in real time at media day activities on Monday -- including Raptors team president Masai Ujiri, who was devastated by the news.
The longtime exec. went before reporters to passionately explain how much Mutombo meant not just to him and the sport ... but to the world.
"It's really hard to believe," he said as he held back tears. "It's hard for us to be without [Dikembe Mutombo]. You have no idea what Dikembe Mutombo meant to me. It's a tough one."
Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid also spoke at his team's media day ... saying the Hall of Famer was a role model for him.
Joel Embiid on the passing of Dikembe Mutombo:
— Sam DiGiovanni (@BySamDiGiovanni) September 30, 2024
“It’s a sad day, especially for us Africans.” pic.twitter.com/9WqzAVs2DF
"It's a sad day, especially for us Africans, really the whole world," he said. "Other than what he has accomplished on the basketball court, I think he was even better off the court."
Ryan Mutombo -- Dikembe's son and a current member of Georgia Tech men's basketball team -- took to his Instagram to pay tribute to his father.
"My dad was a regular man who would stop at no lengths to honor the world, its people, and its creator," he said. "He loved others with every ounce of his being. That's what made him so accessible. That's what made him real."
Karl-Anthony-Towns and Serge Ibaka also paid respect to Mutombo ... posting tributes on their respective X accounts to the eight-time NBA All-Star.
It wasn't just the basketball world taking time to remember his legacy ... as former Houston Texan J.J. Watt posted a photo of himself and Mutombo -- which he wrote, "Truly grateful for the friendship and the memories."
Mutombo's passing was announced Monday morning ... following a two-year bout with brain cancer. He was 58 years old.
RIP