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I wanted to be a soccer player; I wanted to do it at the highest level.

I wanted to be a soccer player. I knew that couldn't happen.

For as long as I can remember I wanted to be a professional hockey player.

If I had not played basketball and made the millions of dollars that I had made, I would never have been able to build a hospital in Congo. It started in 1997, and 10 years later I was able to unveil the Biamba Marie Mutombo Hospital, named after my mother, in my hometown outside of Kinshasa. It was such a blessing.

As a boy, I wanted to be the Peruvian Diego Maradona. Sadly, Peru hasn't made the World Cup since 1982, so I guess I did well to choose something different.

The Congo was the most difficult shoot of my life but was also maybe the greatest adventure of my life.

All I wanted to be was a player.

I always felt that I had to leave a legacy on the African continent. As I was only the third player to come to the NBA from Africa, I felt I had to do my best to recruit more young Africans to come and play in the NBA - and also find a way to bring the NBA to Africa.

I cannot forget the place that I come from. The Congo is much in need.

I wanted to be a cricketer. But I was not skilled enough to be a national-level cricketer.