--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: After spending more than 17 years playing…" description: "\"After spending more than 17 years playing for the NBA, in the summertime, I always came back to community service and different basketball clinics.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/dikembe-mutombo-13547_basketball_after-spending-more-than-17-years-playin_1730836.png" --- # After spending more than 17 years playing for the NBA, in… ![“After spending more than 17 years playing for the NBA, in the summertime, I always came back to community service and different basketball clinics.” quote by Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/dikembe-mutombo-13547_basketball_after-spending-more-than-17-years-playin_1730836.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/dikembe-mutombo-13547_basketball_after-spending-more-than-17-years-playin_1730836.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/dikembe-mutombo-13547_basketball_after-spending-more-than-17-years-playin_1730836.png) > “After spending more than 17 years playing for the NBA, in the summertime, I always came back to community service and different basketball clinics.” [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even after a long NBA career, he returned to community service and basketball clinics. **In simple terms:** He prioritized giving back through sports. Key Takeaway Use your platform to serve others. Themes service community legacy Mood inspirational hopeful Type social personal When to use this quote - post‑career planning - youth development - community outreach - sports coaching Key Concepts social responsibility mentorship Questions to Reflect On - How can athletes give back effectively? - What impact do clinics have on youth? A Different Perspective Balancing fame and service can be challenging. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [17 Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/17-years/) [Basketball](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) [Basketball Clinics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball-clinics-1428807/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Community service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community-service/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Football](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/football/) [More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/more/) [NBA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nba/) [Nba Summertime](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nba-summertime-1428808/) [Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service/) [Spending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spending/) [Spending 17](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spending-17-1428809/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [“We have grace of strength to work, to clear our cities of any dirt.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/we-have-grace-of-strength-to-work-to-clear-our-cities-of-any-dirt/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Ellis shook her head sadly. “I ate fifteen boxes of cookies the last time I robbed a Girl Scout. And then I gained three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sugar-jamison/ellis-shook-her-head-sadly-i-ate-fifteen-boxes-of-cookies-the-last/) [Sugar Jamison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sugar-jamison/) > [“Desire to dwell in clean environment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/desire-to-dwell-in-clean-environment/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Entrepreneurs and volunteers inspired by Hizmet's values have invested in modern education and community service in more than 150 countries.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fethullah-gulen/entrepreneurs-and-volunteers-inspired-by-hizmet-s-values-have/) [Fethullah Gulen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fethullah-gulen/) > [“Stay committed to changing the world, volunteering, and creating the good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-committed-to-changing-the-world-volunteering-and-creating-the/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [I believe in God... just in case. It's like there's some list somewhere and you don't want to be on it. I don't want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-believe-in-god-just-in-case-it-s-like-there-s-some-list-somewhere/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Without community service, we would not have a strong quality of life. It's important to the person who serves as well as the recipient.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-height/without-community-service-we-would-not-have-a-strong-quality-of-life/) [Dorothy Height](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-height/) > [“You don’t mention what you’d like to study, but I assure you there are many ways to fund a graduate education. I know a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-strayed/you-don-t-mention-what-you-d-like-to-study-but-i-assure-you-there-are/) [Cheryl Strayed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-strayed/) > [This is an extremely foolish and stupid and idiotic kind of attitude - to expect theatres to make money. Do the public schools make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hirsch/this-is-an-extremely-foolish-and-stupid-and-idiotic-kind-of-attitude/) [John Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hirsch/) > [Social media is not about the exploitation of technology but service to community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mainwaring/social-media-is-not-about-the-exploitation-of-technology-but-service/) [Simon Mainwaring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mainwaring/) > [It is not unusual for children to follow the paths cut by their parents. You frequently see the children of doctors enter medicine, military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-bush/it-is-not-unusual-for-children-to-follow-the-paths-cut-by-their/) [Neil Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-bush/) > [“Seek yourself in the joy of neighbors, You shall know the meaning of justice. Seek yourself in smiles of the world, You shall emerge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/seek-yourself-in-the-joy-of-neighbors-you-shall-know-the-meaning-of/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [It’s worth noting that you can devote your life to community service and be a total schmuck. You can spend your life on Wall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brooks/it-s-worth-noting-that-you-can-devote-your-life-to-community-service/) [David Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brooks/) > [“There is an overflowing grace, for every great work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/there-is-an-overflowing-grace-for-every-great-work/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I don't think any change in the world has been more significant than the change in the status of women. . . . A…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belle-s-spafford/i-don-t-think-any-change-in-the-world-has-been-more-significant-than/) [Belle S. Spafford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/belle-s-spafford/) ## More by Dikembe Mutombo > [Every day, the sun comes out and the sky's always blue. That's what I miss about Denver.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/every-day-the-sun-comes-out-and-the-sky-s-always-blue-that-s-what-i/) [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) > [I don't think God said we should all be soft. My job is to compete, and the best prevails. I will continue to play,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/i-don-t-think-god-said-we-should-all-be-soft-my-job-is-to-compete-and/) [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) > [I am not in politics. 'President Mutombo?' No, no, no. There has never been a politician in my family, and I am not going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/i-am-not-in-politics-president-mutombo-no-no-no-there-has-never-been/) [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) > [I cannot forget the place that I come from. The Congo is much in need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/i-cannot-forget-the-place-that-i-come-from-the-congo-is-much-in-need/) [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) > [When you take the elevator to the top, please remember to send it back down so someone else might use it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/when-you-take-the-elevator-to-the-top-please-remember-to-send-it-back/) [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) > [I know the president is quick. I have friends who played with him during the campaign; they say he's very good. I told the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/i-know-the-president-is-quick-i-have-friends-who-played-with-him/) [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) > [My favorite memory is my five years with the Nuggets. From my first day to my last day is a great memory. There wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/my-favorite-memory-is-my-five-years-with-the-nuggets-from-my-first/) [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) > [The NBA has more than 435 players and there are at least 100-some players doing more than expected. Shaq is doing a lot. Dwight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/the-nba-has-more-than-435-players-and-there-are-at-least-100-some/) [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) > [When I go to China, people call me 'Uncle Mo' because they refer me as Yao Ming's uncle. I'm pleased to be his uncle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/when-i-go-to-china-people-call-me-uncle-mo-because-they-refer-me-as/) [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) > [I usually just speak in English when I'm on the basketball court. For some reason, my mind never even tried to cross any other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/i-usually-just-speak-in-english-when-i-m-on-the-basketball-court-for/) [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) > [Food - there's no greater gift...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/food-there-s-no-greater-gift/) [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) > [I've always had a passion for giving back. It's a family tradition that comes from my devout parents. They were always giving back and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/i-ve-always-had-a-passion-for-giving-back-it-s-a-family-tradition/) [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) > [When I travel around the globe, I try as hard as I can to represent the NBA and the game of basketball to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/when-i-travel-around-the-globe-i-try-as-hard-as-i-can-to-represent/) [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) > [People wonder why I love Africa so much. I say this is where I was born and raised. My roots are in Africa; that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/people-wonder-why-i-love-africa-so-much-i-say-this-is-where-i-was/) [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) > [After I made it to the NBA, I said that I didn't want to be the last player from Africa. After my rookie year,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/after-i-made-it-to-the-nba-i-said-that-i-didn-t-want-to-be-the-last/) [Dikembe Mutombo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) [Explore all 50 Dikembe Mutombo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/) ## More Basketball quotes > [We love playing together and we love adversity. You know, back-to-back, the two best teams in the East.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-nash/we-love-playing-together-and-we-love-adversity-you-know-back-to-back/) [Steve Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-nash/) > [I don't look at myself as a basketball coach. I look at myself as a leader who happens to coach basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-krzyzewski/i-don-t-look-at-myself-as-a-basketball-coach-i-look-at-myself-as-a/) [Mike Krzyzewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-krzyzewski/) > [There is no doubt in my mind and I know in my time, there will be a Canadian basketball player playing for Toronto Raptors, 100%](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masai-ujiri/there-is-no-doubt-in-my-mind-and-i-know-in-my-time-there-will-be-a/) [Masai Ujiri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masai-ujiri/) > [I learned so much from Sue about the Xs and Os of the game of basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-summitt/i-learned-so-much-from-sue-about-the-xs-and-os-of-the-game-of/) [Pat Summitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-summitt/) > [ I failed, I think, seven \[or\] eight times before I finally got my first \[championship\]. It was just, you know, just about me growing… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/i-failed-i-think-seven-or-eight-times-before-i-finally-got-my-first/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [It's not how big you are, it's how big you play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wooden/it-s-not-how-big-you-are-it-s-how-big-you-play/) [John Wooden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wooden/) > [Basketball isn't just a sport to me ; it's my ecstasy !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamira-robinson/basketball-isn-t-just-a-sport-to-me-it-s-my-ecstasy/) [Jamira Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamira-robinson/) > [It's similar to basketball: when you go to different gyms and win or lose, you learn something new. So when kids get out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-iguodala/it-s-similar-to-basketball-when-you-go-to-different-gyms-and-win-or/) [Andre Iguodala](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-iguodala/) > [If a Coach is determined to stay in the coaching profession, he will develop from year to year. This much is true, no coach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolph-rupp/if-a-coach-is-determined-to-stay-in-the-coaching-profession-he-will/) [Adolph Rupp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolph-rupp/) > [And I want to do it the right way, like everybody else, not just a famous figurehead that gets a job because he is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquille-o-neal/and-i-want-to-do-it-the-right-way-like-everybody-else-not-just-a/) [Shaquille O'Neal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquille-o-neal/) > [Well, you can certainly teach free-throwing. And you can teach the boys to pass at angles and run in curves. - University of Kansas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darryl-dawkins/well-you-can-certainly-teach-free-throwing-and-you-can-teach-the-boys/) [Darryl Dawkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darryl-dawkins/) > [Practice to beat the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-bennett/practice-to-beat-the-best/) [Dick Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-bennett/) > [I'm a competitive person. I love the game of basketball. I'm a gym rat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-pierce/i-m-a-competitive-person-i-love-the-game-of-basketball-i-m-a-gym-rat/) [Paul Pierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-pierce/) > [I am both humbled and honored to receive the Honda Sports Award for women's basketball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittney-griner/i-am-both-humbled-and-honored-to-receive-the-honda-sports-award-for/) [Brittney Griner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittney-griner/) > [What I've talked about the entire series and throughout this playoffs is about intensity and effort, desire and will of our players.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-laimbeer/what-i-ve-talked-about-the-entire-series-and-throughout-this-playoffs/) [Bill Laimbeer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-laimbeer/) [Browse all 5,387 Basketball quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basketball/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "After spending more than 17 years playing for the NBA, in the summertime, I always came back to community service and different basketball clinics.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dikembe Mutombo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/after-spending-more-than-17-years-playing-for-the-nba-in-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basketball" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/after-spending-more-than-17-years-playing-for-the-nba-in-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/dikembe-mutombo-13547_basketball_after-spending-more-than-17-years-playin_1730836.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/dikembe-mutombo-13547_basketball_after-spending-more-than-17-years-playin_1730836.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3dd/dikembe-mutombo-13547_basketball_after-spending-more-than-17-years-playin_1730836.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“After spending more than 17 years playing for the NBA, in the summertime, I always came back to community…” — Dikembe Mutombo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Dikembe Mutombo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dikembe-mutombo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "After spending more than 17 years...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/after-spending-more-than-17-years-playing-for-the-nba-in-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dikembe-mutombo/after-spending-more-than-17-years-playing-for-the-nba-in-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```