Bismack and Francois Biyombo (Courtesy: Bismack Biyombo)
Phoenix back-up center Bismack Biyombo is honoring his late father, Francois, by donating his 2021-22 NBA salary to help build a hospital in his home country.
“To give hope to the hopeless back home and those individuals that cannot take their family members out,” Biyombo said in a video released by his foundation. “Want to be able to give them better conditions so that they can somewhat have hope that their loved ones will be able to leave and see another day.”
Biyombo noticed how much help was needed when visiting his father in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
“Every day I went to the hospital back home to take care of him, I was always asking myself, ‘what about these people that can’t take their family members out?’” Biyombo said.
A calling his father instilled in him until his final days.
Francois Biyombo passed away in August of 2021 at 61 years old.
Bismack carries his father’s legacy in his heart, and this season, on his chest.
“I chose to wear number 18 because 18 was my dad’s birthday,” Biyombo said. “He was born on June 18th, 1960.”
That motivation has inspired a career-year on the court and a gesture that will change many lives off the court.
“My dad spent most of his life making his life about me, my brothers, my sisters, and servicing people,” Bismack said. “I was just trying to find ways to make this year about him.”
Eliav Gabay
