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Boris Diaw is a French basketball executive and former power forward player who is the president of Metropolitans 92 of LNB Pro A.
Wiki/Biography
Boris Diaw, whose full name is Boris Babacar Diaw-Riffiod and is nicknamed Bobo by his teammates, was born on Friday, April 16, 1982 (age 42 years old; as of 2024) in Cormeilles-en-Parisis, Val-d’Oise, France. His zodiac sign is Aries. He completed his education at INSEP (National Institute of Sport, Expertise, and Performance) in Paris, France.
A childhood picture of Boris with his mother and brother Martin
Physical Appearance
Height: 6′ 8″
Weight: 113 kg
Hair Colour: Pepper (Bald)
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Family
Parents & Siblings
Boris Diaw’s mother is Élisabeth Riffiod, known as one of the greatest center players in the history of French women’s basketball. She’s honored in the French Basketball Hall of Fame.
Boris Diaw and his mother
His father, Issa Diaw, was a champion in high jumping in Senegal. Diaw also has a half-brother, Paco Diaw, who first played basketball as a guard at Georgia Tech and then moved to Lee University, a smaller school in the NAIA, part of the Southern States Athletic Conference. Additionally, his brother Martin Diaw played basketball at the California University of Pennsylvania in Division II.
Wife & Children
Diaw is not married.
Autograph
Career
As a Basketball Player
From 2001 to 2003, Boris Diaw played basketball for Pau-Orthez in France’s top professional league, the LNB Pro A. In 2002, he took part in the league’s All-Star game and Slam Dunk contest. In 2003, the Atlanta Hawks picked Diaw 21st in the NBA draft. He joined the Hawks on a multi-year contract on July 10, 2003. In August 2005, he was traded to the Phoenix Suns, along with two future first-round picks, for Joe Johnson. Diaw, mainly a forward, became known for his ability to play many positions because of his passing skills and scoring ability. In the 2005–06 season, he started as a substitute, filled in as point guard, played small forward, and then played as center due to injuries in the team. On December 10, 2008, Diaw, with Raja Bell and Sean Singletary, was traded to the Charlotte Bobcats for Jason Richardson and Jared Dudley. During the 2011 NBA lockout, Diaw joined JSA Bordeaux in France. He returned to the Charlotte Bobcats in December 2011. The Bobcats waived him on March 21, 2012, and two days later, he joined the San Antonio Spurs for the season. On July 12, 2012, he re-signed with the Spurs on a two-year, $9.2 million contract and helped them reach the 2013 NBA Finals against the Miami Heat.
Boris in a Spurs jersey in 2014
Diaw re-signed with the Spurs on July 15, 2014, on a three-year, $22 million contract. He played for Team Africa in the 2015 NBA Africa exhibition game on August 1, 2015. On July 8, 2016, Diaw was traded to the Utah Jazz, along with a 2022 second-round pick and cash. He missed games in November 2016 due to a leg injury and was waived by the Jazz on July 13, 2017.
Boris Diaw with his Utah Jazz jersey
On September 17, 2017, he joined the Levallois Metropolitans in France for the 2017–18 season, playing in the LNB Pro A and EuroCup.
Boris wearing a Levallois Metropolitans jersey
Diaw won the FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship with France’s junior national team in 2000. He became captain of the French national team in July 2006, winning a bronze medal at EuroBasket 2005. He led the team at the 2006 FIBA World Championship and won a gold medal at EuroBasket 2013. In 2014, he led the team, without Tony Parker, to a bronze medal in the FIBA World Cup.
As an Executive
In 2009, Boris Diaw joined the JSA Bordeaux basketball club in France as vice-president and part-owner. The next year, he became its president. He left this position in 2017. Diaw started an eco-friendly clothing company, UKIND, in 2010. On July 4, 2019, he was named the new president of the Metropolitans 92 basketball club, taking over from Jean-Pierre Aubry.
Retirement
Diaw announced his retirement on his X social media account (formerly Twitter) on September 6, 2018.
Boris Diaw’s retirement post
Awards, Honours, Achievements
- All-EuroBasket Team selection (2005)
- NBA’s Most Improved Player (2006) (Phoenix Suns)
- NBA championship (2014) (San Antonio Spurs)
Boris in 2014 with his European championship and NBA trophies
- FIBA World Cup bronze medal in 2014
- Mannie Jackson Human Spirit Award – 2018
Favourites
Facts/Trivia
- In Phoenix, Boris Diaw became a versatile basketball player, capable of playing positions from center to point guard. He was nicknamed “3D” because he was good at many parts of the game (he liked to “drive, dish, defend”) and because of his jersey number (3) and last name.
- Diaw is close friends with Tony Parker, another French NBA player from the Spurs. They used to live together, and Diaw was the best man when Parker married actress Eva Longoria.
- In 2005, Diaw started a charity called Babac’Ards. It organizes sports for young people in Senegal and helps with their education.
- In 2023, Diaw talked about different topics, including retiring from basketball, on The Benas Podcast. He shared how traveling and exploring new things helped him get ready for life after basketball.
- He is an animal lover and has two pet dogs.
Boris Diaw on a trip with his pet dogs
- He enjoys photography, sailing, skiing, and wine tasting. He has also done a lot of photoshoots professionally for his friends.
Boris Diaw catching a fish for his meal
- He likes to drink occasionally and is a non-vegetarian.
Boris Diaw holding a glass of wine