Vanderbilt Basketball Recruit Ryan Mutombo, Class of 2021
Dikembe Mutombo was one of the most feared shot blockers in the NBA during his playing career that spanned 18 seasons. His signature move was the finger wave following a blocked shot, which happened some 3,289 times in his career.
Now Mutombo's son, Ryan, a 6'11" 205-pound senior, is making a name for himself outside that of his famous father.
The younger Mutombo, a four-star recruit, ranked No.62 nationally, No. 12 at his position, and No. 3 in the state of Georgia, where he preps at Lovett School currently holds ten college scholarship offers, including one from head coach Jerry Stackhouse and the Vanderbilt Commodores.
Stackhouse never shared a roster alongside the older Mutombo in the NBA<, but the two faced each other during their 15 shared seasons of play.
Could that connection help Vanderbilt in their pursuit of Mutombo?
Currently, Rival.com has Mutombo one-hundred percent to attend Georgetown, where his father starred from 1988-91 before becoming the No.4 overall selection of the first round of the 1991 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets.
Along with the Hoyas, the field of competitors for Mutombo's signature includes Florida, Florida State, Stanford, Tennessee, Virginia Tech, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, and Texas A&M in addition to Vanderbilt and Georgetown.
As his star continues to rise, Mutombo will likely see his offers do the same, meaning that things could be exciting come signing day.
According to Evan Daniels of 247Sports, Mutombo is the real deal.
"Legit size with long arms and a sturdy frame. Has terrific hands & touch around the basket. Good feel as a passer out of the high post and on the block. Shot the ball from the mid-range area with confidence, and mechanics are fine. Impressive feel for the game and a high IQ. Good area rebounder and rim protector. Lacks lift and just gets end-to-end, OK. True low post player. A late bloomer with a jor upside."
The Commodores struggled inside during the 2019-20 season, in part because of injuries and inexperience. Stackhouse addressed that need area in the 2020 recruiting cycle, but adding a player of Mutombo's caliber in 2021 would be a big boost a program looking to gain footing and improve its national reach in recruiting.
There are certainly a lot of talented players in play for the Commodores in 2021. Still, Mutombo, considering his name recognition and abilities, might just be at, or very near the top of Stackhouse's wish list for 2021.
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