A Comprehensive Review of All the Remarkable Players from the Atlanta Hawks Who Have Been Honored with the Prestigious Kia Defensive Player of the Year Award, Highlighting Their Outstanding Defensive Skills, Impact on the Team, and Contributions to the Franchise’s Success Throughout NBA History

Dikembe Mutombo is the only player in Hawks franchise history to win the Kia Defensive Player of the Year.

Dikembe Mutombo won 2 of his 4 Kia Defensive Player of the Year awards with the Atlanta Hawks.

The Atlanta Hawks are an iconic franchise who have produced a number of NBA greats throughout their 76-year history in the league. This list highlights the one player who has won a Kia Defensive Player of the Year award while playing for the Hawks, Dikembe Mutombo, which he accomplished in back-to-back seasons.

Dikembe Mutombo – 1997, 1998

Dikembe Mutombo, who was born in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, enjoyed an 18-year career in the NBA that earned him a Hall of Fame induction in 2015. The Denver Nuggets made ‘Deke’ the fourth overall pick in the 1991 NBA Draft, where he spent his first five seasons as a pro before joining the Atlanta Hawks from 1995 to 2000.

Just one year after winning his first Defensive Player of the Year award with Denver in 1994-95, Mutombo carried over his massive defensive presence to Atlanta. During his four-plus seasons with the Hawks, Mutombo averaged 11.9 points, 12.6 rebounds and 3.2 blocks in 343 appearances, recording at least 2.8 bpg in each campaign. He made the All-Star team eight times, led the league in defensive (9.4) and total rebounds (13.5 rpg) in 1999-00, led the league in blocks three times, made six All-Defensive teams (three firsts, three second), and racked up four DPOY honors, including back-to-back in 1997 and ’98.

In 1996-97, ‘Mount Mutombo’ posted averages of 13.3 points, 11.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 3.3 blocks while playing and starting in 80 games. He collected 43 double-doubles and registered five-plus blocks 20 times and pulled down 20-plus boards on four occasions that season. The 7-foot-2, 245-pound center finished 13th in MVP voting and won his second overall Hakeem Olajuwon Trophy.

In 1998, an age-31 Mutombo was even better, tallying 13.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 3.4 blocks across 82 appearances with Atlanta. He compiled 47 double-doubles and swatted at least five shots in 23 of those games. For his incredible efforts, Deke earned his second consecutive, and third overall, Defensive Player of the Year award. It was the fifth and final time he played all 82 contests in his legendary career and was one of nine straight seasons where Mutombo finished third or better in DPOY voting (1993-2002).