TNT Sports has been criticized for showing a Kia car ad while talking about the death of NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo.

Mutombo passed away at the age of 58 from brain cancer in Sept. and he was being honored by Stan Van Gundy during the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves game. Mutombo was a former player of Van Gundy’s brother, Jeff, at the Houston Rockets.

However, Van Gundy’s tribute was cut short on TNT Sports commentary as he was interrupted by Ian Eagle who had to read an ad read for Kia. Eagle finished the ad and went back on to the subject of Mutombo.

“Of course, the NBA world just had a tough loss with Dikembe Mutombo’s passing,” Van Gundy said. NBA on TNT, brought to you by the Kia Telluride X-line. Kia, the official automotive partner of the NBA,” Eagle interjected.

“Yeah, that was terrible news in regards to Dikembe, who has been such an ambassador to the game in addition to his Hall of Fame career. He just meant so much to the game of basketball,” Eagle later continued. But NBA fans have slammed TNT Sports’ ad interruption as disrespectful.

“Did they just interrupt a Mutombo remembrance to do an NBA on TNT ad read?” one fan said on X. “That was absolutely terrible,” another tweeted.

“Disgraceful,” a third added. “Unfortunately if they didn’t say it at that moment the announcers would probably get reprimanded,” a fourth sympathetically reasoned with the commentators. “Cutting off Van Gundy talking about the passing of Dikembe Mutombo to do a Kia ad read is ——- gross,” a fifth fumed.

Dikembe Mutombo was a beloved NBA legend

Dikembe Mutombo is a beloved NBA legend and sadly died in Sept. ( 

Image:

Getty)

Mutombo played in the NBA for 19 seasons and he was named an NBA All-Star in eight of those campaigns. He also claimed four Defensive Player of the Year awards, securing legendary status in the NBA.

The former 7-foot-2 center never managed to win an NBA Championship at any of the six franchises he played for. Mutombo was selected fourth overall in the 1991 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets, where he stayed five seasons before heading to the Atlanta Hawks in 1996.

Mutombo played a further five seasons in Atlanta before heading to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2000. However, he spent just two seasons with the Sixers before playing for the then-New Jersey Nets in 2002 and the New York Knicks in 2003. He played his final five NBA seasons in Houston and then retired in 2009.