I come from a large family, but I was not raised with a fortune. Something more was left me, and that was family values.

I created the Dikembe Mutombo Foundation back in 1997 for the purpose of going in and improving the living conditions of my people on the African continent, especially in the Democratic Republic of Congo where I came from. Our first mission was to go and build a new hospital. Our next mission was to build a school.

I don't think God said we should all be soft. My job is to compete, and the best prevails. I will continue to play, and that's the way I'm succeeding in my life. If I hit you by mistake, all I can say is 'I'm sorry,' and I keep moving on.

God put us here to prepare this place for the next generation. That's our job. Raising children and helping the community, that's preparing for the next generation.

After spending more than 17 years playing for the NBA, in the summertime, I always came back to community service and different basketball clinics.

Food - there's no greater gift.

It took a long time for me to walk. I was falling down all the time. But I ended up being one of the dangerous men, who broke so many people's noses, which is bad.