Rob Schneider blasted over tribute to Dikembe Mutombo after NBA legend's death

Rob Schneider is drafting backlash for a backhanded tribute to NBA fable Dikembe Mutombo - with the comedian utilizing the erstwhile 7-footer's decease to propulsion his anti-vax agenda.

Mutombo passed distant connected Monday astatine the property of 58 aft a agelong conflict with encephalon cancer - which helium went nationalist with backmost successful 2022.

But Schneider, either uninformed oregon conscionable wholly tactless, decided to station his tribute to Mutombo by re-tweeting a 2021 video of the large antheral promoting the Covid vaccine.

'Rest successful Peace... I'm definite this is conscionable (another) coincidence,' the 'Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo' histrion tweeted.

'But I took a walk connected the Jab and I'm gonna not fto anyone I cognize (and who volition Listen) get it either!'

Schneider was raked implicit the coals for his insensitive station - with radical calling him assorted names and correcting him connected the origin of Mutombo's death.

'He had encephalon crab you a**hat,' wrote 1 idiosyncratic underneath Schneider's post.

Another wrote, 'He had encephalon cancer. Which helium got due to the fact that (unlike you) helium had a f***ing brain.'

'Bro conscionable halt with the propaganda. Its old,' said different user. 

Others pointed retired however Schneider has a toxic narration with his daughter, Elle King, with 1 idiosyncratic writing, 'No wonderment your ain kid thinks you're a f***ing lowlife failure.'

Another went down the aforesaid route, saying, 'No wonderment your girl wants thing to bash with you.'

Another idiosyncratic implored Schneider's friend, comedian Adam Sandler, imploring the Happy Madison creator to 'reconsider your relationship with idiosyncratic who would accidental thing truthful despicable. You cognize Dikembe; this is disgusting.'

Mutombo, who grew up successful the Democratic Republic of the Congo but moved to America astatine the property of 21, was selected 4th wide by the Denver Nuggets successful the 1991 Draft.

He went connected to play for the Nuggets, Hawks, 76ers, Nets, Knicks and Rockets successful a stellar career, earlier retiring successful 2009.

Aside from Schneider's tasteless remarks, determination were plentifulness of due tributes to the 7-foot-2 legend. 

The quality of his decease was announced successful a connection by the NBA connected Monday morning, whose commissioner Adam Silver said: 'Dikembe Mutombo was simply larger than life. 

'On the court, helium was 1 of the top changeable blockers and antiaircraft players successful the past of the NBA. Off the floor, helium poured his bosom and psyche into helping others.

'There was cipher much qualified than Dikembe to service arsenic the NBA's archetypal Global Ambassador. He was a humanitarian astatine his core. 

'He loved what the crippled of hoops could bash to marque a affirmative interaction connected communities, particularly successful his autochthonal Democratic Republic of the Congo and crossed the continent of Africa. 

'I had the privilege of traveling the satellite with Dikembe and seeing first-hand however his generosity and compassion uplifted people. He was ever accessible astatine NBA events implicit the years - with his infectious smile, heavy booming dependable and signature digit wag that endeared him to hoops fans of each generation.'

Mutombo was notorious for his blocks, and became celebrated for his finger-wagging solemnisation to the hostile aft denying them a scoring opportunity. 

He signed a woody with Adidas successful 1992 during his rookie declaration and had a signature footwear that rivaled Nike and Michael Jordan. 

In 1 commercialized for his shoe, helium took a jab astatine Jordan and told the camera: 'Man does not alert successful the location of Mutombo.' In 2013, the Adidas Mutombo was released arsenic a retro footwear and rapidly sold out.

Tributes rapidly poured successful for the NBA legend, arsenic large names from crossed the satellite of sports told stories astir the 7-foot-2 icon.

On Twitter, NFL fable JJ Watt wrote: 'An implicit fable connected and disconnected the court. Truly grateful for the relationship and memories. Rest successful Peace Dikembe.'

Speaking connected ESPN, Stephen A. Smith said: 'No substance what you cognize astir him arsenic a hoops player, helium was an adjacent amended quality being. One of the astir beautiful, beauteous quality beings I've ever known.'

NBA icon Pau Gasol added: 'I was precise bittersweet to perceive astir Dikembe Mutombo's passing. Dikembe was not lone large connected the court, but a unit for bully disconnected it, admired and loved by those who got to cognize him. 

'His smile, his values and his dedication to basketball, arsenic good arsenic to helping others, volition ne'er beryllium forgotten. My thoughts are with his household and his loved ones astatine this precise hard time. May helium remainder successful peace.'

The 7-foot-2 halfway is survived by his woman Rose and 3 children: Carrie, JJ and Ryan - who plays assemblage hoops for Georgia Tech and paid tribute to his father. 

Aside from his talents connected the hoops court, Mutombo was besides wide hailed for his foundation enactment distant from it. 

He erstwhile flew an eight-year-old kid from the Congo to the US and paid for country to region his tumor. 

He and his woman Rose besides adopted 4 children of her deceased brother, per the Chicago Tribune.

In 2015, the Atlanta Hawks retired Mutombo's No 55 jersey, and the Denver Nuggets did the aforesaid a twelvemonth later.

He was besides inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame successful September 2015.