Mfiondu Kabengele facts for kids
Kabengele in 2023
|
|
| No. 21 – Umana Reyer Venezia | |
|---|---|
| Center | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | August 14, 1997 Burlington, Ontario, Canada |
| High school |
|
| Listed height | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) |
| Listed weight | 250 lb (113 kg) |
| Career information | |
| College | Florida State (2017–2019) |
| NBA Draft | 2019 / Round: 1 / Pick: 27th overall |
| Selected by the Brooklyn Nets | |
| Pro career | 2019–present |
| League | LBA EuroCup |
| Career history | |
| 2019–2021 | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2019–2020 | → Agua Caliente Clippers |
| 2021 | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2021–2022 | Rio Grande Valley Vipers |
| 2022–2023 | Boston Celtics |
| 2022–2023 | → Maine Celtics |
| 2023 | AEK Athens |
| 2024–present | Venezia |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
Mfiondu Tshimanga Kabengele was born on August 14, 1997. He is a professional basketball player from Canada. He currently plays for Reyer Venezia in Italy. This team competes in two leagues: the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and the EuroCup. Before turning pro, Mfiondu played college basketball for the Florida State Seminoles.
Contents
Mfiondu's College Basketball Journey
.jpg)
When Mfiondu joined Florida State, he wasn't a well-known player. He took a "redshirt" year first. This means he practiced with the team but didn't play in games. It helped him get ready for college-level basketball.
In his second year, Mfiondu played a big part in his team's success. They even reached the "Elite Eight" in the NCAA Tournament. He scored about 7.2 points and grabbed 4.6 rebounds per game.
During his third year, Mfiondu became the team's top scorer. He averaged 13.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. Even though he didn't start any games, he was a key player. He was named the ACC Sixth Man of the Year for his great performance coming off the bench.
In the NCAA Tournament that year, Mfiondu played even better. He averaged 17 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks per game. On April 9, 2019, he decided to enter the NBA draft. This meant he would not play his final two years of college basketball.
Professional Basketball Career
Playing for the Los Angeles Clippers (2019–2021)
On June 20, 2019, Mfiondu Kabengele was chosen by the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA draft. He was the 27th player picked overall. Soon after, his draft rights were traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.
On July 9, 2019, the Clippers officially signed Mfiondu. He made his NBA debut on October 24, 2019. He came off the bench in a game against the Golden State Warriors. He scored three points and helped his team win.
On November 16, 2019, Mfiondu scored 10 points and grabbed two rebounds. This was in a big win against the Atlanta Hawks. He also spent time playing for the Agua Caliente Clippers. This team is part of the NBA G League, which is like a development league for the NBA.
In the G League, Mfiondu had some amazing games. On January 14, 2020, he scored 25 points and had 12 rebounds. A few days later, on January 19, he scored an impressive 38 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in another G League game. He worked hard to improve his three-point shooting from the professional distance.
On March 22, 2021, Mfiondu was traded to the Sacramento Kings. However, he was waived by the team just three days later.
Time with the Cleveland Cavaliers (2021)
On April 10, 2021, Mfiondu signed a 10-day contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He played well enough to earn a second 10-day contract. Then, on May 1, he signed a multi-year contract with the team.
On May 9, Mfiondu had his best game with the Cavaliers. He scored a career-high 14 points and grabbed four rebounds in 23 minutes of play. However, on October 12, 2021, the Cavaliers decided to waive him.
Playing for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2021–2022)
After leaving the Cavaliers, Mfiondu briefly signed with the Houston Rockets. He was waived soon after. He then joined the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. This team is also part of the NBA G League.
Joining the Boston Celtics (2022–2023)
On July 16, 2022, Mfiondu signed a "two-way contract" with the Boston Celtics. This type of contract allows a player to play for both an NBA team and its G League affiliate. He signed after playing well in the Summer League.
On March 27, 2023, Mfiondu was named the G League Player of the Week. He had averaged 27 points and 16.5 rebounds in his games that week. On April 13, he was recognized for his strong season. He was named to the All-NBA G League Second Team and the NBA G League All-Defensive Team.
Playing in Europe: AEK Athens (2023)
On August 13, 2023, Mfiondu signed with AEK Athens. This was his first time playing for a club in Europe, joining a team in the Greek Basket League.
On November 25, 2023, Mfiondu had an amazing game for AEK. He scored 30 points, grabbed 16 rebounds, and added 3 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks. This helped his team win by a large margin against PAOK. On December 26, 2023, his contract with AEK ended. He averaged 14 points and 8 rebounds per game in Greece.
Moving to Reyer Venezia (2023–Present)
After leaving AEK, Mfiondu signed with Reyer Venezia, an Italian team. He first signed until the end of the 2023–2024 season. Later, he signed again to play for them in the 2024-2025 season.
Career Statistics
These tables show Mfiondu Kabengele's basketball statistics. They include how many games he played, points he scored, rebounds he got, and other important numbers from his time in the NBA and college.
NBA
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | L.A. Clippers | 12 | 0 | 5.3 | .438 | .450 | 1.000 | .9 | .2 | .2 | .2 | 3.5 |
| 2020–21 | L.A. Clippers | 23 | 0 | 4.1 | .281 | .222 | .833 | .6 | .2 | .1 | .1 | 1.2 |
| Cleveland | 16 | 0 | 11.6 | .421 | .281 | .786 | 2.9 | .8 | .4 | .6 | 4.3 | |
| 2022–23 | Boston | 4 | 0 | 9.0 | .286 | .000 | 1.000 | 2.5 | .0 | .5 | .0 | 1.5 |
| Career | 55 | 0 | 6.9 | .383 | .301 | .852 | 1.5 | .3 | .2 | .3 | 2.6 | |
College
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Florida State | 34 | 0 | 14.8 | .491 | .385 | .657 | 4.6 | .3 | .4 | .9 | 7.2 |
| 2018–19 | Florida State | 37 | 0 | 21.6 | .502 | .369 | .761 | 5.9 | .3 | .6 | 1.5 | 13.2 |
| Career | 71 | 0 | 18.3 | .498 | .374 | .724 | 5.3 | .3 | .5 | 1.2 | 10.3 | |
Personal Life
Mfiondu Kabengele's parents, Tshilongo and Tshimanga Kabengele, are from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They moved to Canada for their education.
Mfiondu has a famous relative: his mother's uncle was Dikembe Mutombo. Dikembe Mutombo is a legendary basketball player. He is in the Basketball Hall of Fame and played in the NBA for 18 years.
Mfiondu studied international affairs at Florida State University. He can also speak French fluently.
See also
In Spanish: Mfiondu Kabengele para niños
