Mfiondu Kabengele

Mfiondu Tshimanga Kabengele is a name familiar across the world of pro basketball. Born on August 14, 1997, Kabengele hails from a mixed heritage of Congolese and Canadian background. He has carved a niche for himself in various professional basketball leagues, most notably the Italian Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) where he plays for Venezia.

Kabengele’s journey into the game began during his college years at Florida State University, where he joined the Florida State Seminoles basketball team. Despite starting as an unheralded recruit, he showed his power on the court by redshirting his freshman season. Even as a redshirt freshman, his contributions were undeniable as he played a crucial role helping the team reach the Elite Eight.

In his sophomore year, Kabengele rose to prominence with a stirring performance across the season. Despite not starting a single contest, he led the team in scoring with an average of 13.2 points per game. His EVPs didn’t stop at scoring; he also averaged 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game. His undeniable prowess on the court earned him the title of ACC Sixth Man of the Year.

During the NCAA Tournament, his performance scaled newer heights as Kabengele averaged an impressive 17.0 points, accompanying it with 8.0 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game. It didn’t take long for him to play in the major league, and on April 09, 2019, Kabengele declared for the NBA draft, after forgoing his remaining two years of collegiate eligibility.

On June 20, 2019, he was selected by the Brooklyn Nets for the 2019 NBA draft. Although initially picked by the Nets, his draft rights were traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for a future first pick in the 2020 NBA draft and Jaylen Hands’ draft rights. Kabengele officially joined the Clippers on July 9, 2019. He made his notable NBA debut on October 24, 2019, coming off the bench in a game against the Golden State Warriors, where he pocketed three points, a rebound, and a block.

Across his basketball career, Kabengele showed marked improvement in his game. He recorded his personal best stats on assignment for the G League’s Agua Caliente Clippers in a match against the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, where he posted an impressive number of 25 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and 2 steals, although his team suffered a loss.

After being successively traded to different teams, Kabengele finally found himself on the roster of Boston Celtics, thanks to a two-way contract. Here, he put up an impressive performance, averaging 27 points, 16.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per week, which earned him the title of G League Player of the Week on March 27, 2023.

Taking his career overseas, Kabengele signed with AEK Athens of the Greek Basket League on August 13, 2023. His unforgettable moment came on November 25, 2023, when he registered a monstrous stat sheet of 30 points, 16 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 2 blocks against the rivals PAOK.

Kabengele’s journey then took him to the Italian shores, where he signed with Reyer Venezia and stayed with them for two seasons – 2023-2024 and 2024-2025. Basketball seems to be in his DNA, as his maternal uncle is Dikembe Mutombo, an NBA veteran and a Hall of Fame inductee. Fluent in French and an international affairs major, Mfiondu Tshimanga Kabengele is more than just a pro basketball player and continues to strive for excellence on and off the court.