The perception of no Toronto Raptors player will change more based off of the outcome of the Toronto’s first round matchup with the Indiana Pacers than Bismack Biyombo. If the Raptors win just their second series in franchise history and first in 15 years; he becomes the defensive lynchpin that helped propel the franchise. If they lose in the first round he’s a role player who failed to get out of the first round with two separate teams.
That perception could be important this off-season as the energetic big man is expected to test the NBA free agent waters. The best comp for Biyombo might be Tristan Thompson who parlayed a strong post-season to an $82 million dollar deal last year. Quite the increase from the $2,940,630 Bismack would make next year if he elected to not opt out of the two year deal he signed last summer.
I caught up with the fun-loving native of the Congo as he was getting ready for his first taste of the playoffs in Toronto. Two things were very apparent. His pride in being one of the African players excelling in the NBA and his reverence for Naismith Hall-of-Famer Dikembe Mutombo.
The other is his love for the city of Toronto and country of Canada and his hope it can become his long time home.