Longtime basketball star - and the current interim starting center for the Houston Rockets - Dikembe Mutombo was honored as one of President George W. Bush’s guests at his annual “State of the Union” address last evening. Mutombo, a 19th-year Center who played his college-ball at Georgetown University, was one of three special-guests who sat with first-lady Laura Bush last evening as President Bush addressed our nation.

Mutombo was being honored not for any of his accomplishments on the hardwood, but for his tireless and diligent work as a humanitarian in his home-country of Zaire. The President spoke about the NBA big-man’s incessant efforts to better his homeland, and brought attention to a Hospital that Mutombo funded the building of ($29 million) and opened in Congo. 

As enormous as the 7-2, 260-pound former Atlanta Hawk is - you’d be hard-pressed to find a more gentle giant. Mutombo was awarded “The President’s Award” for his charitable efforts back in 1999, and was named one of the “Good Guys in Sports” by Sporting News way back in 1997.

In addition to donating $15 million towards the building of a hospital, which Mutombo named after his mother, he also just recently wrote and signed a check for $150,000 to help underprivileged youth in South Africa. Given, both of his money and his time, is something Mutombo is as good at as fighting for rebounds, and it’s something he enjoys doing more.

Sports advocates have known about his dexterity and athleticism on the basketball court for years, but it was good to see the big-fella get some much-deserved recognition on such a paramount stage.

The games we watch and the sports we enjoy watching each-and-every-day are played by and comprised of sterling individuals. They just don’t normally get recognized, something President Bush changed last night.