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Report: Nuggets expected to retire Dikembe Mutombo's jersey in 2015-16

Bob Donnan / USA TODAY Sports

Dikembe Mutombo's famed number 55 will soon rise to the rafters in the Pepsi Center, draped from the ceilings as an everlasting tribute to one of the greatest Denver Nuggets of all time.

Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post reports that the Nuggets are expected to retire Mutombo's jersey sometime next season. The only logistical hurdle is Mutombo's jam-packed schedule.

Mutombo suited up for six franchises across his famed 18-year career, but Denver is where he made his name. The Nuggets selected Mutombo fourth overall in 1991 and he immediately dominated, posting averages of 16.6 points, 12.3 rebounds, and three blocks per game.

A smiling Mutombo, wagging his finger after a blocked shot, while donning the technicolor Denver skyline on his chest, is one of the most iconic images in Nuggets' history.

Mutombo will also be enshrined by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in September. Mutombo joins the likes of referee Dick Bavetta and head coach John Calipari, among others, in a star-studded Class of 2015.

In Denver, Mutombo will join Byron Beck, David Thompson, Doug Moe, Dan Issel, and Alex English as famed figures who have had their numbers retired by the franchise.

Across five seasons in Denver, Mutombo accumulated 5,054 points, 4,811 rebounds, and 1,486 blocks. He led the league in total blocks in three of those seasons and was recognized as the Defensive Player of the Year in his final year with the Nuggets.

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