Interview With 8-Time NBA All-Star Dikembe Mutombo
VELSHI: All right. As many of you know, I've always talked about the fact that my family came from Africa. I'm particularly close to this World Cup because I'd like to see it have some really great effect on Africa. I'm here with a good friend who is also from Africa. You'll know him as the famous Dikembe Mutombo. And let me just tell you, the magic of TV is that he appears to be about the same size as me on TV. He's not on a chair. I think he's kneeling or something like that. Let's show how tall you are.</s>DIKEMBE MUTOMBO, EIGHT-TIME NBA ALL-STAR: Are you sure?</s>VELSHI: Yes. All right. Let's take a look at this. Yes.</s>VELSHI: Apparently, we're not the same size. We'll go back to sitting down. Great to see you, my friend.</s>MUTOMBO: Good to see you.</s>VELSHI: You are leaving for South Africa tonight.</s>MUTOMBO: Tonight.</s>VELSHI: And you're going to be there. But what I want to talk to you about is, as a guy who's come from Africa -- and you came to the United States and you did very, very well, you have always wanted to try to bring Africa along. And you've done a lot. You've gone back to your home in Kachasa and you've done stuff there.</s>MUTOMBO: Yes. I have an organization, the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation, which</s>VELSHI: You actually wanted to be a doctor. That's why you came to America.</s>MUTOMBO: Yes.</s>VELSHI: You thought you'd be a doctor, and you ended up being a basketball star.</s>MUTOMBO: Yes, I was lucky having a chance to go to a great school like Georgetown University, where I got a scholarship to study medicine, fortunately. But I didn't study medicine. I ended up studying something else.</s>VELSHI: Let's talk a little about Africa. What good can come -- I mean, this is great, that the World Cup is in Africa for the first time.</s>MUTOMBO: Yes.</s>VELSHI: Can there be some lasting effect? Because what you don't want to see is that they've built all these stadiums and they've got themselves into debt, and there's no particular lasting effect. Is there going to be a lasting effect on youth in Africa because of the World Cup there?</s>MUTOMBO: I think so, Ali. I think the World Cup will be a great benefit for the continent.</s>VELSHI: At least they know the sport of soccer, or football in South Africa. You're trying to get basketball into Africa.</s>MUTOMBO: Yes.</s>VELSHI: How is that working out?</s>MUTOMBO: It's working out. I'm one of them.</s>VELSHI: There you go.</s>MUTOMBO: Manute Bol, the one we just lost two days ago.</s>VELSHI: You were friends with Manute Bol.</s>MUTOMBO: Very friendly, Manute Bol. He was like a big brother to me. He inspired all of us from Africa to get an opportunity to play basketball.</s>VELSHI: And you weren't on the Sixers together, but you both played in Philly.</s>MUTOMBO: We played -- I think the NBA lost a great hero and a great son.</s>VELSHI: Well, this is interesting. For people who don't know as much about Manute Bol -- they may just know that he was a remarkably tall guy and a skilled basketball player -- this is another guy from Sudan who took his wealth and really worked hard to try and make his country a better place.</s>MUTOMBO: In Africa, they teach us something -- that when you make (ph) it, don't forgot about the place where you come from. And you can</s>VELSHI: How does it feel when you go back -- and I've seen video of you back in Kachasa. I mean, you're a hero there.</s>MUTOMBO: Yes, a little bit. I just have great respect around the continent. And people appreciate for the fact that I've gone away, but I've not forgot them, and the pain and the suffering that's going on.</s>VELSHI: Yes. You actually remember your mother a lot, because you named your hospital after her. Am I right?</s>MUTOMBO: Yes. The 300-bed is named after my mom. And we are very happy. Now we're just asking for more help from the people. And our goal is to get 100,000 people who will donate $10 or $20 a year to keep the hospital open.</s>VELSHI: One hundred thousand people donating $10 or $20 a year.</s>MUTOMBO: Yes.</s>VELSHI: Where do they go to make these donations.</s>MUTOMBO: They can go to DMF.org or call 1-888-</s>DMF-FUND. VELSHI: OK, DMF.org. That's the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation. You're going to go to South Africa. Are you going to any games?</s>MUTOMBO: I'm going to the game on Thursday. I'm going to the semifinal. Then I'm coaching the Special Olympics game.</s>VELSHI: Is that right?</s>MUTOMBO: Yes, for Coca-Cola.</s>VELSHI: Is it going to feel good to be down there?</s>MUTOMBO: I'm going to be home. It doesn't matter where I am in Africa. I am home.</s>VELSHI: Yes. It's different. The sun sets a little differently.</s>MUTOMBO: Absolutely.</s>VELSHI: It's fun. Well, maybe I'll run into you when I'm down there.</s>MUTOMBO: You're coming in a week.</s>VELSHI: I'm going in a week.</s>MUTOMBO: Just look for me. I'll be the tallest one.</s>VELSHI: You'll be an easy guy to find.</s>VELSHI: Dikembe, good to see you again.</s>MUTOMBO: Thank you.</s>VELSHI: Congratulations for all your great work.</s>MUTOMBO: Thank you. Thank you. I appreciate it.</s>VELSHI: Dikembe Mutombo. He needs no other introduction. All right. An amazing discovery in space by a group of seventh- graders. I am not kidding. Wait until you see what they found -- where? On Mars.