Oklahoma City Thunder center Bismack Biyombo announced in a social media post on X that he will play in Friday night’s home game against the Miami Heat after collapsing on the court Wednesday due to dehydration.
Biyombo said he has been fasting for 15 years. It was the first time he had ever collapsed, according to reports. The 13-year veteran has cleared all medical tests since the incident.
“We’ve done all the testing. I’m good,” Biyombo said. “I’ll be back playing [Friday]. Just had a little bit of dehydration there.”
According to a couple of NBA betting sites, the Thunder hold fifth-best odds to win the championship. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers.
Feeling blessed & grateful for everyone’s love & concern. A big thank you to my teammates for their understanding. 🙏🏾All good here, just a bit of dehydration, but ready for tomorrow’s game! Fasting has been my spiritual journey for over 15 years, thankful for every lesson. #God🙏🏾 pic.twitter.com/kNvauf2Uve
— Bismack Biyombo (@bismackbiyombo) March 8, 2024
Biyombo collapsed while standing in front of the Thunder bench in the second quarter of Wednesday night’s 128-120 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers.
He fell as the team went to the sideline during a timeout. A wheelchair was brought onto the court, but he never used it. Biyombo was helped off and headed for the locker room.
Oklahoma City Thunder center Bismack Biyombo has played just four games with the team
“My heart is overwhelmed with the amount of people and the amount of care that you guys have shown,” Biyombo said after the win. “I’m so grateful for those who took the time to just reach out, and we’ll see you tomorrow on the court.”
“He’s fine. He just fainted, basically,” Thunder coach Mark Daigneault explained to reporters. “He was in the locker room at halftime laughing and joking.”
The Thunder said it was not a serious medical condition, although Biyombo did not return.
Starting the weekend off with a Thunder Friday Night ⚡
📺 KSBI Ch. 52 OKC, Ch 6.3 Tulsa (COX Ch. 7 OKC, Ch. 53 Tulsa)
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🆚 @MiamiHEAT
🏠 @PaycomCenter
⏰ Pregame Show 6:30PM CT // Tipoff 7PM CT
🎟 https://t.co/NwQUEHquXl
📻 @sportsanimal #ThunderUp️ pic.twitter.com/0L5nc35Fw6— OKC THUNDER (@okcthunder) March 8, 2024
On Thursday, Biz posted this other message on X:
“Feeling blessed & grateful for everyone’s love & concern. A big thank you to my teammates for their understanding. All good here, just a bit of dehydration, but ready for tomorrow’s game! Fasting has been my spiritual journey for over 15 years, thankful for every lesson. #God”
Furthermore, OKC signed Biyombo to a minimum contract on Feb. 10.
He has appeared in four games with the team. The 6-foot-8 center has averaged 4.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 1.0 block per game in 34 games (27 starts) this season. He played his first 30 games with the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Thunder (43-19) host the Heat (35-27) at 8 p.m. ET.
