Bismack Biyombo #15 of the Oklahoma City Thunder smiles before the game.Photo:Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty
Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty
Oklahoma City Thunder say center Bismack Biyombo is “fine” after the Congolese NBA player randomly collapsed into a teammate on the sidelines on Wednesday, according to multiple reports.
The scary scene, which broadcast cameras caught in real time, unfolded during a timeout in the first quarter of the Thunder’s road game against the Portland Trail Blazers at Moda Center in Oregon.
31-year-old Biyombo, dressed in a warmup sweatsuit, collapsed into a teammate just as he and Thunder star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander exchanged a high-five near the team’s bench.
The frightening moment was captured on the game’s broadcast, sparking concern from fans who witnessed the seemingly random collapse.
After the game, Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault said Biyombo is “fine” and “was laughing and joking in the locker room” at halftime, according toThe OklahomanreporterJustin Martinez.
The results of Thursday’s further evaluation have not yet been made public.
Oklahoma City defeated Portland 128-120 on Wednesday and is now tied with the Minnesota Timberwolves for the best record in the Western Conference.
Bismack Biyombo #15 of the Oklahoma City Thunder smiles before the game against the Phoenix Suns on March 3, 2024 at Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.Barry Gossage/NBAE via Getty
According toSpotrac, Biyombo’s contract with the Suns was worth $1.3 million that season.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
“I told my agent my salary for this year would be going to the construction of a hospital back home to give hope to the hopeless at home and those individuals that cannot take their family members out,” Biyombo said in an interview withAndscapein Feb. 2022.
“I want to be able to give them better conditions so that they can somewhat have hope that their loved ones will be able to live and see another day. I wanted to give them something that would continue to service people under his name,” Biyombo added.
source: people.com
