The moving story behind an NBA figure's decision to donate his salary to build a hospital in Congo

Today there seem to be no worse places to live than the Democratic Republic of the Congo (former Zaire), a country of almost 100 million inhabitants located in central Africa that, for two decades, has been suffering from a serious social, economic and even health crisis. As early as 2015, it was ranked No. 176 in the United Nations Human Development Index, with a poverty rate of 80% and a life expectancy of just 58 years. And these data are prior to the second largest Ebola outbreak in the world, in addition to that of measles and COVID-19. “The greatest ignored emergency on the planet”, as many call it, has been going on for more than 25 years, since the constant armed conflicts within the country, fostered by foreign capital seeking the minerals on their soil, the violent and illegitimate actions of rebel groups and the corruption and mismanagement of the governments of the day. A situation that has increased the level of hunger by eight. Even today, a lack of drinking water is reported and, since the loss of entire crops, food shortages have been added. It is estimated that, due to the internal war, more than 5 million people have left their homes — this is the biggest crisis of displaced persons in Africa — and that 13 million are in urgent need of humanitarian aid.

From there came Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacquez Wamutombo (yes, he has five surnames), a pivot who was a figure in the NBA for much of his 18 seasons (1991-2009) and thus “put a forgotten country on the map”. The gleaned 2m18 player became famous for his defense — he won the Best Defender award four times — and that gesture to do “no” with his very long index finger every time he put a major cover. But, of course, Mutombo was more than that: during his years of popular significance, he became a humanitarian icon, after creating his foundation, in 1997, to improve the health, education and quality of life of millions of Congolese children. He worked with the United Nations in his country, convinced the US Congress to fund clinics and health centers in the most needy areas, and even built a hospital named after him. It was an example, an inspiration for many and today we see his case repeated in Bismack Biyombo, a player who came to the NBA in 2012 after a Hollywood trip to different countries and today, after highs and lows in the elite —until months ago he didn't have a contract-, he once again enjoyed the honeys of success, being a key player of the best team in the moment (Phoenix Suns, last runner-up and #1 of the regular phase). But, of course, like Mutombo, Biyombo intends to go further and announced that he will donate his entire salary for the season ($1,366,392) to build another hospital, in this case in memory of his beloved father, Francois, who died in 2021.

“When my father died, the love of basketball fell a little, because he was my everything: my friend, business partner, my mentor... But, at the same time, his departure served as an inspiration to me. Every day I came back from the hospital I asked myself: 'What happens to people who can't take their families out? ' My father spent most of his life thinking about me and my brothers, serving the people most in need... My motivation, then, is to do it now for him. I told my agent that my salary this year would go towards the construction of a hospital in my country, to give hope to the hopeless,” explained who was born on August 22, 1992 in Lubumbashi, the second most important city in the country.

From a very young age, Bismack liked basketball and in his room he had the posters of Hakeem Olajuwon - a Nigerian pivot, one of the 15 best players in history - and Mutombo, precisely. And, when she began to stand out, especially from her physique and height, she began to dream big. “Yes, I remember that I was one of the best young people in the country and everyone was talking about me. But, at first, I had a hard time convincing dad about the possibility of pursuing a professional career. It wasn't an easy thing for him. Especially when I asked him to emigrate,” he recalled. It was at the age of 16, after two very good seasons, that he decided to emigrate to Qatar. The trip included a mandatory stop in Yemen, a country in the Middle East, in order to get a visa and continue on the road. “But, in those days in the country, a person from a city team saw me and asked me if I would like to do a training there. When it was over, they asked me what they had offered me in Qatar, that they could offer more. Or whatever I wanted. The offer was irresistible and I decided to stay there”, is the story that the player himself told.

There he stood out a lot and, most importantly, he was seen by Mario Palma, Portuguese coach who connected with him in a special way. “It was in a championship in Jordan that I played against him... The judge charges me a foul on a cover that I do and I hear someone protesting that it was not a foul, giving arguments. I turned around and it was him, I couldn't believe it... I thanked him, he asked me how old and we agreed to chat again after the match”, he says about how it all started with who had been a coach from Angola and at that time he was also heading to Portugal. After the match they met, Palma congratulated him and asked him how he was playing in Yemen. “He told him everything and he told me that if I wanted to be at a good level I should get out of there as soon as possible. He told me that he was sure that I could be playing in other, more important leagues,” Biyombo recalled.

Soon, the well-known representative Igor Crespo arrived in Yemen to see in person that diamond in the rough, just 17 years old. The agent did not hesitate to offer him to make the leap to Spain. He did so and months later he was already training in Vitoria with Pepe Laso. Several teams went to see the practices, but only one made a formal offer, albeit for a season, to evaluate it: Fuenlabrada, a 100% recruiting team, which did it several times in the country and that always has on the radar those jewels that others think are disposable. In the city located 23 kilometers south of Madrid they adopted him as a son and developed as a player. During the first season he played, at the same time, in the EBA League (fourth division, on Sundays) and in the LEB Plata (third, on Saturdays) until, in the second season, he made the leap to the ACB, today the Endesa League, the top category, top competition in Europe. He only played 14 games, enough to convince Charlotte that she had to move pieces on draft night to stay with him. A settlement with Sacramento Kings was necessary to stay with him in No. 7 place in the first round.

I was 18 years old and I was already a physical portent of 2m06 who learned very quickly. The impact was made at the Nike Hoop Summit, the most prestigious camp of the world's top talent in which a match is played between a team from the USA (Bradley Beal, Anthony Davis and Austin Rivers played in that edition) and other foreign figures (such as Dario Saric, Lucas Nogueira and Evan Fournier). In that game, Biyombo won the only triple double in history: 12 points, 11 rebounds and 10 caps. “It looked like a man playing with children,” said some scouts who made the physical difference that the pivot exhibited. “It was a very fun week and a great opportunity for me. I wanted everyone to know me... and I did it. In the locker room, when they told me I had made the first three-pointer in history, I couldn't believe it. Garnett had stayed at a stopper...”, he recalled. That experience, as special as it was important in his career, was a few months before the draft and without the permission of Fuenlabrada, who ended up angry with the player. But it was what he needed. There were no longer any doubts, luck was cast: the NBA was waiting for him.

So high was in the overall consideration that Michael Jordan and Charlotte made a move to stay with this physical portent of great growth. A trade between three teams, which also involved Milwaukee and Sacramento, as well as seven other players, allowed him to be chosen No. 7 and finish with the Bobcats, with a four-year contract and $12.7 million. The dream of playing in the NBA and being a millionaire had been fulfilled for this African who had left his country with one hand back and another forward. Of course, not everything was rosy in a stagnant franchise and for a boy — he arrived at the age of 19 — who still needed to polish himself to play a leading role among the best. In the first season, the team won just seven games (out of 66) and Biyombo averaged 5.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 23 minutes. He jumped to 27m in the second, raising his average rebounds, but without getting the team to make the jump (he won 27 of 82 games). In the third and fourth campaigns, their prominence decreased and the pivot realized that a change of air was necessary.

Everything changed in 2015/2016, when Nigerian Masai Ujiri, boss of the Raptors, went to find him and signed him a contract to play for a Toronto team that was destined for big things. Along with Lowry and DeRozan and leaving as reserve for Lithuanian Valanciunas, Biyombo took an important place in the success of the Canadian team, which won 56 of the 82 matches of the regular phase and reached the Eastern final. In the playoffs (he averaged 9.4 rebounds and 6.2 points) he surprised locals and strangers, especially in the final against the Cavs de LeBron, when he had 10.3 and 6.3, including a match (Game 3) in which he scored 26 points, after the injury that took Valanciunas out of the series.

At the end of that season, Biyombo used a clause that allowed him to withdraw from the contract and signed another multi-year with Orlando, for a whopping 68 million for four seasons. From earning 3 million a year it went to 17, no less. In the Magic he remained what he was, a worker: an intense pivot, a very good rebounder, with great defense but with offensive limitations. “But I know well what my role is in the NBA,” he made it clear. In 2018, Orlando changed it and returned to Charlotte as part of another change involving three teams. His role was similar but in his last season with agreement, 19/20, he averaged 7.4 points and 5.9 recoveries, which allowed him to win another year of contract, although much more modest and in relation to his contribution: 3,500,000 dollars, thus exceeding the 87m gain since his arrival in the NBA.

But, of course, sometimes, money is of little use. During the last season, in Charlotte, Bismack had a hard time when his father was discovered a serious illness. He underwent treatment for months in Turkey, but died in August 2021. A very difficult moment that went down and demotivated the pivot, who decided to take some time off and not start the season. Those first three months allowed him to think and he came up with an idea that would have made his father proud. “In those weeks I was not wanting anything, looking to find something that would motivate me, until I said I am going to play and donate my salary to build a hospital, so that those people who suffer in my country and thus give them better conditions. I am blessed to have a health plan that allowed me to get it out of Congo and take it to Europe, but many people in my country don't have that privilege. So, somehow, this hospital will be able to cover, even in part, that problem and continue the service that my father gave to others,” he said.

That was the motivation and, after a few months, he succeeded. Earlier this year, he signed a temporary 10-day agreement with Phoenix and the Suns soon realized that it was the missing piece for the last runner-up in the NBA, extending the bond, by almost 1,400,000, until the end of the season. A few weeks ago, Biyombo announced the donation. It's not the first time he's done it. In 2020, during the pandemic, it had contributed one million in medical supplies. In addition, to complete this special season, in honor of his father, he is wearing No. 18, Francois's birthday. This is how he found motivation and today he makes a valuable contribution to the best team in the NBA, which already made sure to be the first qualifier for the playoffs, looking for the title that escaped him in June, after being 2-0 in the final against Milwaukee (won it 4-2).

But, of course, Biyombo's story goes beyond a sporting success. His great victory was to be able to leave the country and fulfill his dreams: for him and his family. Now, in his own way, it's up to him to give back. And that is also a success.

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