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Nuggets to retire Mutombo's jersey on opening night

Moses Robinson / Getty Images Entertainment / Getty

Mount Mutombo's No. 55 will soon hang from the rafters at Pepsi Center.

The Denver Nuggets will retire eight-time All-Star Dikembe Mutombo's jersey when the Portland Trail Blazers visit on opening night - Oct. 29 - the team announced during its media day on Monday.

The team will also be wearing their vintage rainbow skyline jerseys to mark the occasion.

Mutombo was selected fourth overall by the organization during the 1991 NBA draft out of the University of Georgetown, where he was a first-team All-Big East member and third-team All-American.

Denver qualified for the postseason twice with him on the roster, including their memorable 3-2 series win over the No. 1-seeded Seattle SuperSonics in 1994.

Competing for five seasons in the Mile High City, the four-time Defensive Player of the Year averaged a double-double of 12.9 points and 12.3 rebounds on 52.3 percent shooting. Mutombo ranks first in franchise history in rejections (1,486) and third in total rebounds (4,811).

This will be the second team to retire his number, as the Atlanta Hawks - where Mutumbo signed a five-year, $55-million contract after leaving the Nuggets - did so in 2015.

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