Mfiondu Kabengele
Mfiondu Tshimanga Kabengele (born August 14, 1997) is a Canadian professional basketball player for the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the Florida State Seminoles. He was drafted 27th overall in the 2019 NBA draft by the Brooklyn Nets and immediately traded to the Clippers. College career. Kabengele came to Florida State as an unheralded recruit and redshirted his freshman season. As a redshirt freshman, he played an important role on a team that reached the Elite Eight, averaging 7.2 points and 4.6 rebounds per game. In his sophomore year , Kabengele led the team in scoring with 13.2 points per game along with 5.9 rebounds and 1.5 blocks per game despite not starting a single contest. He was named ACC Sixth Man of the Year. During the NCAA Tournament, Kabengele averaged 17.0 points, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks per game. On April 9, 2019, he declared for the NBA draft, thus forgoing his remaining two years of collegiate eligibility. Professional career. Los Angeles Clippers (2019–2021). On June 20, 2019, Kabengele was selected by the Brooklyn Nets with the 27th pick of the 2019 NBA draft, and his draft right was  later traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for a future first-round pick in the 2020 NBA draft and the draft rights to the 56th pick of the 2019 NBA draft, Jaylen Hands. On July 9, 2019, the Clippers announced that they had signed Kabengele. On October 24, 2019, Kabengele made his debut in NBA, coming off the bench in a 141–122 win over the Golden State Warriors with three points, a rebound and a block. On November 16, 2019, Kabengele got himself 10 points and two rebounds in a 150–101 blowout win against the Atlanta Hawks. Kabengele  posted 25 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals on assignment for the G League's Agua Caliente Clippers in a 112-102 loss to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers on January 14, 2020. He recorded 38 points, 12 rebounds, and a block on January 19 in a G League win over the Stockton Kings. He worked to establish a three-point shot from the professional distance, in the G League. On March 22, 2021, Kabengele, along with a 2022 second-round pick belonging to the Atlanta Hawks, was traded to the Sacramento Kings for the Kings ' 2022 second-round pick. Three days later, he was waived. Cleveland Cavaliers (2021). On April 10, 2021, Kabengele signed a 10-day contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers. On April 21, he signed a second 10-day contract. On May 1, he signed a multi-year contract. On May 9, Kabengele logged a career-high 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting from the field and 1-of-2 from three, along with four rebounds and one assist across a career-high 23 minutes of play in a 124–97 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. On October 12, 2021, the Cleveland Cavaliers waived Kabengele . Rio Grande Valley Vipers (2021–present). On October 18, Kabengele signed with the Houston Rockets, but was waived shortly thereafter. He subsequently joined the Rio Grande Valley Vipers of the NBA G League. Personal life. Kabengele's parents Tshilongo and Tshimanga Kabengele are originally from the Democratic Republic of the Congo but moved to Canada for educational reasons. His maternal uncle is Dikembe Mutombo, a Basketball Hall of Fame inductee who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for 18 years. Kabengele was an international affairs major at Florida State University, and is fluent in French.