Bismack Biyombo on NBA Bubble and His Favorite Air Jordans

Well, what's up? How's your morning going so far?

My morning has been great. Uh, finished my workouts and run a few errands.

Lovely. What time do you usually get up for your workouts?

So, I wake up like at 6:00 and then I spend like one hour uh doing like meditation and then uh, when I finished doing meditation, uh, read my books, take a shower. So, I do that for about like an hour and then I start my workout like around 7:00.

How do you feel that you've kept up with your workouts and your your ability to play, I guess you could say. Like, is it it's going to be so weird not having?

Yeah, but you know, like when when I went through the process of quarantine, I was doing these uh uh workouts like, you know, quarantine wise. So, I work out Monday to Friday. I still do the same thing um, because I think for me, you know, the focus is always to get my body right, my mind right, and obviously improve the game as well. So, you know, you find private gyms here and there to get your workout in. Uh now, our our arenas has been open to players. So, now we have a place to go workout, you know, uh, obviously we get we still get tested, um, often enough, but for me, you know, it's just that continue to get better and continue to focus on me, building my body. And, uh, and making sure that, uh, however, that time come for us to restart the season. I'll be just fine.

Yeah, for sure. And how would you say your your motivation level, I guess you could say, has it been like, is it taken, you know, it's ups and downs of being motivated to like get up and work out? Or or in just in general, are you're pretty good?

I I love the game of basketball so much that you know, sometimes I wake up before my alarm just to work out. Just out of desire. You know, you can't wait for the workouts. You can't wait for the challenge. I've always been that way. Um, my motivation is not really like up and down. I have, um, uh, been in a situation like, you know, you wanted to play basketball, which is participating in the bubble. And obviously, our team falls short, I think two games. For me, that was also another motivation, like, you know, I want to work as hard as I can so I don't ever, ever have to be in a situation like that where two games decide whether or not you'll be in the playoff. So, for me it's just that, you know, I have a long summer that I can improve in the little things, uh, my body, my game, uh, the mental aspect of the game as well. So, you know, I'm enjoying this. Uh, it's been a fun process and it's going to continue to be that way.

Yeah. How do you keep in touch with your teammates? Like, do you text a lot? Do you guys get on Zoom with each other? FaceTime?

Uh, we've been doing some Zoom, uh, calls here and there. Um, but I always text on most of my teammates to keep in touch with them. Uh, even a lot of my friends in the bubble, uh, I FaceTimed with a lot of them actually when they were in the bubble and I've been talking to a lot of them while they were there. So, I always keep in touch with everybody, all my friends, my my, um, actual teammates now and um, and all the teammates that I've had before, my ex-teammates and that I've turned into family. So, it's been fun watching them play really. I I enjoy uh, watching the game of basketball being back, although we're not there, but it's fun to see sport back.

For sure. And what when you're talking to your teammates that are actually in the bubble, what are they saying about it? Like, are they like, what do you hear like the most that they're talking about?

You know, the the most, um, common thing that you hear is that, um, all of them have have a common goal, which is to continue the conversation of, you know, the the social injustice that we have all had to deal with. And and I think the goal of going down to Orlando and play, uh, because I'm one of the vice presidents within uh our union. So, that has helped me to get more insight in seeing how we we kind of bring this whole process together. Um, but for me, it's just that all of them understands that we got to speak for those ones that can't speak for themselves. And we got to raise our voice so that the next we can be the example for the next generation, which has been really fun to see everybody come together. And uh, and and it's been great really. It really has been great and and I just enjoy, you know, watching these guys' interviews. Although you talk to them, but now seeing them doing these interviews and talking about it is completely different and, uh, and I'm very appreciative actually. A lot of guys are taking the the initiative to speak about these issues. So, um, I applaud all of them.

Yeah, definitely. Like growing like now you are a role model to a lot of people and you grew up like a lot of things you're poor and now you're a millionaire. So, what would you what is the first thing that you bought when you got like your first first big check?

I think it was probably clothes. I can't really remember because it's been a long time. I think it was probably clothes. I wanted to do uh, dress up. No, I bought a pair of shoes of, uh, um, I think Louis Vuitton. It's my one and only pair of shoes because after that I never bought them again. They were not too comfortable. So, I was like, oh my God, what was I thinking? But uh, yes, I think yeah, that was one of the first thing I bought, um, yes, yeah.

Yeah. And then we see on your Instagram, you have quite the collection of Air Jordans, right?

Oh, yes, I do.

Yeah. How do you do you how do you choose which ones you're going to wear? You have so many.

You know, it's tough. I I, you know, I we were just moving things around and then my brother was like, yo, you have over 1500 pairs of shoes. You literally have shoes that you never opened the boxes. I said, oh man, I didn't know but, you know, I I just have enough to get me through the days. Uh, but how do I know? So, I always pick like, you know, I'll choose like the top, I'll choose like, you know, my my all the pants and t-shirts and all that. And then I'll just dance around with the shoes until I find the one that'll be a good fit for my outfit. So, uh, I mean, I enjoy you're taking long enough to pick it out. It it takes a little, it takes longer actually to do that than to then to just, you know, pick my clothes, which is, which is very interesting.

Yeah. And what we are you wearing any shoes right now or no?

To be honest, no, I'm just sitting at home. But I I just I just took off my Jordan Ones. I love Jordan Ones. They're like my favorite shoes. Uh, I have all different kind of Jordan Ones. I could wear them Monday to Monday. I'm happy. The highs and the lows, they're perfect for me.

What would you say is your most sacred pair? Which ones?

The sacred pair? Oh, I don't think it's a secret anymore because I got them probably like four months, five months before they come out. Uh, the Jordan One, uh, Dior.

You have them. You have a pair?

Yeah, I have them. I have them. Yeah. So, I uh, I when when I first got them, my brother was like, oh my God, can we get this? I was like, I don't know, let me ask. And then I checked. They were like, there's a lot of people waiting for them. Yeah. But I got them like four months ago and uh, and I think at the time it was a secret but now it's not a secret anymore. Right. Then there was like a bunch of Jordan Ones that we get, uh, from, um, uh, from, um, Jordan brand that they just send it to us only and they don't send it to everybody or they don't sell. So, I have a few of those hiding somewhere.

Well, that's pretty cool. Look at you. You get the inside scoop with the shoes.

Two options don't hurt. Not at all. Not at all.

I literally just want I literally just want a pair like they're all sold out around like for me and I don't have the inside scoop.

Oh, you're into sneakers, huh?

Yes. I need them. Uh, well, good luck. It's a You can't own 1500 pair. So. Two pairs of shoes that I'm trying to work with. So, look at it on the bright side. Yeah. What's one thing that you would tell your teenage self if you could talk to him now?

That's a very good question. The one thing that I would tell him, um, oh, is probably to document all his journey, if he could. So, that when he gets to the point he is right now, he can always go back. Because one thing that I wish that I've done is record my whole journey, you know, from Congo to Yemen. Obviously, you have pictures but recording videos is like a whole different thing. And, uh, and I wish I would have recorded that. Um, read a little more books earlier versus now because before I used to read like the minimum, the basic and now I'm reading tons of books. So, um, I think that's that's kind of what I would tell him.

What's one thing that I guess you could say that you've like learned from your meditation about yourself? Because you how long have you meditated for?

Uh, yeah, but I meditate like twice a day in the morning and it's more than 20 minutes, uh, at least 20 minutes, uh, in the morning and then 20 minutes at night. Uh, and then throughout the day, I find ways. Uh, what I've learned about meditation, it kind of helps you be in present, in the present moment, uh, you stress less. Uh, you're more focused. Uh, you can control more what comes into your minds and what goes out, you know, you're not so triggered about overreacting to the little thing. So, you know when to react, when not to react. So, that's kind of how meditation has helped me, um, and I think overall for me is just that I enjoyed it. It has become part of my life and I know like if I stop meditating for like a week, then I could start seeing my mind all over the place. So, then you got to go back home and, you know, regroup and meditate a little more and I'm I'm all good.

Definitely. Well, thank you so much for talking to us and good luck with, you know, when you get back at it for the season.

Thank you for having me. Appreciate you guys and to all the fans, keep enjoying the game. Hopefully the the final is going to be more fun than we expect.