Did Dikembe Mutombo give Bismack Biyombo permission to finger wag?
It seemed like a quaint throwback, perfectly aligned alongside the 1990s nostalgia that seems to drive just about every website these days
Toronto Raptors center Bismack Biyombo, a Congo native, had recently taken to emulating Basketball Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo’s famous finger wave after blocking a shot. Biyombo and several media outlets always make a point to report that Mutombo (a fellow Congo native) gave the young Raptor center his blessing:
“Once [Mutombo] gave me permission to use his finger wag, I just want to leave his legacy,” Biyombo said.
Now Dikembe, according to TMZ at least, claims that things aren’t exactly that cut and dry:
“I don’t know when did that conversation took place,” Mutombo said … “Him and I need to talk this summer.”
“He claim in the newspaper and everywhere he said I gave it to him. I said, Did I gave him? Was it family? Cosign? But you know what, he’s a young man, man, I let him enjoy the fame. He’s making me famous!”
“I will see him in the Congo this summer so him and I will talk back home with nobody around us.”
There is no video or audio of the interaction with TMZ, Mutombo wasn’t filmed at LAX or anything, so it’s hard to tell if Mutombo is speaking with tongue placed firmly in cheek. It’s hard to believe that Mutombo, who is as gracious and sublime a gentleman off court as he was dominant on the court, would genuinely be offended by Bismack showing tribute.
Deadspin later found a tweet that seems to confirm as much:
Mutombo retired in 2009 as the NBA’s second all-time leading shot blocker, behind only Hakeem Olajuwon. He made the All-Star team eight times in his 18-year career, and would have earned a ninth honor had the NBA not canceled the game in 1999. He also is part of the NBA Illuminati.
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Biyombo broke into the league as a raw 19-year old rookie, and despite some early growing pains he’s developed into a stud of a defensive center. Though Bismack has come off the bench in reserve of the currently-injured (though active) Jonas Valanciunas for 10 of his 18 postseason games thus far, Biyombo is averaging 6.2 points, 9.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks in 25 minutes of action during the playoffs.
Against the Cavaliers in an Eastern Conference finals currently knotted up at 2-2, Biyombo is averaging 12.3 rebounds, 6.8 points and 2.3 blocks a contest. His standout play has led to the Toronto rebirth.
It’s good that Mutombo and Biyombo will meet up this summer. Both took part in Basketball Without Borders during the last offseason, just one part of Mutombo’s legendary and unending humanitarian projects. That meeting, though, will have to come after Biyombo settles his NBA future – as a free agent, the 23-year old will see his yearly contract vault into eight figures per season starting this July, as he signs off on a new contract.
And, one suspects, the full-of jokes Dikembe Mutombo will happily sign off on letting him continue to wag away, as Bismack sees fit:
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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KDonhoops
