Charlotte Hornets center, Bismack Biyombo, made one homeless man’s night by taking him to dinner and getting to know him.
Biyombo was in Chicago for a game against the Chicago Bulls. Looking for a Verizon, he left his hotel room to discover a man sleeping on the sidewalk wrapped in a blue blanket, The Charlotte Observer reports.
Biyombo bent down to ask the man how he was doing, but got no response, so he tried again.
“He said “Fine,’ and I said, ‘But it’s freezing out here!’ He said, ‘I wish I had a better place to be, but…’” Biyombo recalled.
Biyombo then took the time to get to know the man, who goes by Asne, and learned that they both have a love for books. From there Biyombo suggested that the two continue their conversation at a nearby mall over a meal.
“They would never let me go to a restaurant the way I’m dressed, even if I had money,” Asne, who was dressed in four jackets covered in dirt, replied.
However, Biyombo insisted that Asne accompany him to get something to eat by assuring him that they would find a restaurant to accommodate them if one turned them down, The Charlotte Observer notes.
Biyombo and Asne didn’t enter the mall without creating a commotion. Security guards constantly came up to him to ask if Asne was with him, which surprised Biyombo.
“It shocked me,” Biyombo said. “I just said, ‘I’m going to enjoy this moment and learn from this guy.’
Even though Asne would have been fine with McDonald’s, Bioymbo insisted upon a good restaurant. While Asne was in the bathroom, Biyombo asked the host if they would be allowed entrance. After Biyombo assured the host that he would pay, they were allowed to come in.
They both ordered soup and continued their conversation about books, when Biyombo got a call from a friend, who decided to join them at dinner. Biyombo and his friend both promised that they would do stuff like this more often together.
It wasn’t until the end that Asne found out Biyombo was a NBA player. “Oh my God!” Asne replied. “An NBA player sitting down with me when I smell so bad!”
By the time they said, goodbye Asne was so grateful for Biyombo’s kindness that he was brought to tears.
When he got back to his hotel room, Biyombo shared everything with his mom, who was so proud of him, The Charlotte Observer reports.
“She said, ‘I’m so proud of you, So often when people can afford it they forget about those who can’t. Don’t ever forget that feeling.’” Biyombo reacalls.
The 22-year-old also shared his experience with Anse on his Instagram page.
Image via Instagram from Bismack Biyombo
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