Celtics sign big man Mfiondu Kabengele to camp deal for Las Vegas Summer League

Kabengele hopes to find his own footing in a league once dominated by his uncle.

Anyone trying to make the roster of the Boston Celtics cannot help to note the shoulders of the giants upon which the reputation and mystique of the storied franchise now stands, but for Mfiondu Kabengele, giants run in the family.

Nephew of the Hall of Fame center Dikembe Mutumbo, Kabengele has been signed by the Celtics to a camp deal to play on Boston’s Las Vegas Summer League roster according to the Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach. The 6-foot-9 Florida State product may not be the prodigious shot-blocker his uncle is, but he has a solid jumper that could make him a valuable player should it ever become reliable, and some NBA experience with stints playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers.

In his previous two stops, he’s appeared in 51 total games, putting up 2.7 points and 1.4 rebounds per game while shooting 31.4% from deep and 64.0% from the charity stripe.

Still somewhat raw as a prospect at 24, Kabengele is running out of time to find a role in the league but is more than a worthy addition to the Sin City Celtics as he tries to find purchase to do so with Boston.

This post originally appeared on Celtics Wire. Follow us on Facebook!

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Clippers opted against bringing Mfiondu Kabengele to the Disney bubble

While teams were permitted to bring up to 17 players, Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said the team will only have 15 players available.

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Los Angeles Clippers rookie Mfiondu Kabengele will reportedly not join the team during the season restart at the Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Florida, according to Brad Turner of the L.A. Times.

While teams were permitted to bring up to 17 players into the restart, Clippers head coach Doc Rivers said that the team will only have 15 players available once Kawhi Leonard and others arrive. Additionally, the team also left behind Johnathan Motley.

Rivers said the organization wanted to prioritize bringing additional medical staff and that they even left behind some members of the coaching staff. The team is operating in the belief that they will be allowed to bring more personnel the further they advance into the playoffs.

“It’s awkward for everybody,” Rivers said. “But we’ve decided to come here. We all had to make an individual decision to come down to Orlando. Once we got here, we decided this is our mission. We’re just here, we’re going to try to drown out all the stuff that distracts us from our goal.”

The thinking by the Clippers of leaving Kabengele behind is likely that he was simply not needed and rather than risk his health for potentially little playing time, the team kept him in L.A. The 27th overall pick logged just 12 appearances this season and likely wouldn’t have played much.

For the Clippers, the team will enter the restart as one of the favorites to advance to the NBA Finals. Of course, the preseason prediction would be the Western Conference Finals would include both teams from Los Angeles and that is still certainly among the possibilities.

The Clippers will begin the season restart July 30 vs. the Lakers.

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Clippers’ Mfiondu Kabengele, Terance Mann emerge in trade rumors

With the Knicks looking to trade Marcus Morris, the team is reportedly interested in the two Clippers rookies.

Los Angeles Clippers rookie players Mfiondu Kabengele and Terance Mann are the subjects of a recent trade rumor with the New York Knicks, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.

The Clippers are among the teams interested in acquiring forward Marcus Morris from the Knicks as the two Clippers players are apparently on New York’s wishlist.

With the Clippers chasing an NBA title, the two rookies have played sparingly this season with the veterans on the roster seeing substantial playing time.

If the Knicks indeed wish to part ways with Morris, Kabengele and Mann are two young players that the organization could add next to the likes of R.J. Barrett, Mitchell Robinson and others.

Kabengele, the 27th overall pick, has spent the majority of the season in the G League with the Agua Caliente Clippers. In 19 games, Kabengele is averaging 19.2 points, 9.2 rebounds and two blocks per game.

Mann, the 48th overall pick, has 30 appearances in the NBA with the Clippers, including six starts. Mann is averaging just 1.8 points, 1.1 assists and one rebound in 8.1 minutes per game.

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NBA on Christmas: A rookie primer on those set to make holiday debut

Although Zion Williamson will be sidelined due to injury, plenty of other rookie players should see some action on Christmas Day.

The 72nd edition of the NBA on Christmas Day will feature five games throughout the day with the Boston Celtics and Toronto Raptors getting things started at 12 p.m. ET.

The NBA will have five Christmas Day games for the 12th year in a row as ESPN and ABC will combine to broadcast each game. Four of the five games will be first-time matchups on the holiday.

The full five-game Christmas Day schedule:

  • Boston Celtics at Toronto Raptors: 12 p.m. ET (ESPN)
  • Milwaukee Bucks at Philadelphia 76ers: 2:30 p.m. ET (ABC)
  • Houston Rockets at Golden State Warriors: 5 p.m. (ABC)
  • L.A. Clippers at L.A. Lakers: 8 p.m. (ABC & ESPN)
  • New Orleans Pelicans at Denver Nuggets: 10:30 p.m. (ESPN)

While the full slate of games will be headlined by the likes of LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, James Harden, Russell Westbrook and others, several first-year players will also make their holiday debuts.

Of course, the last game of the day will be without Zion Williamson as he recovers from knee surgery on Oct. 21. Although the No. 1 pick will be sidelined, plenty of other rookie players should see some action on Christmas Day.

Note: Injured players were not included

Grant Williams, Celtics

(Photo by Rick Scuteri/USA TODAY Sports)

Williams is coming off of his best two-game swing of the season after totaling 30 points. The first-round pick often contributes his energy and playmaking off the bench and is beginning to see more playing time as a result.

Romeo Langford, Celtics

(Photo by Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports)

Langford is finally healthy and contributing for the Celtics. After dealing with a number of injuries, Langford recorded a season-high eight points and four rebounds Sunday night in a 119-93 win over the Charlotte Hornets. He appears to be ready to contribute and could see more action on Wednesday.

Carsen Edwards, Celtics

(Photo by Greg M. Cooper/USA TODAY Sports)

Edwards recently re-joined the Celtics after a four-game stint with the Maine Red Claws in the G League. Edwards averaged 21.8 points, five rebounds, 3.5 assists and three steals for the Red Claws. He appears to be back with the Celtics for now though it is unclear if he will play on Wednesday.

Tremont Waters, Celtics

(Photo by Bob DeChiara/USA TODAY Sports)

Waters has spent the majority of the season in the G League. In 13 games played, he is averaging 20.1 points, 7.5 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 2.3 steals. He is 12th in the G League in assists and 12th in steals. With the Red Claws off until Friday, Waters will likely be with the Celtics.

Tacko Fall, Celtics

(Photo by David Butler II/USA TODAY Sports)

With the Celtics dealing with injuries to centers Robert Williams and Vincent Poirier, Fall has been on the active roster recently. Fall has three appearances with the Celtics this season, totaling 13 points, seven rebounds and two blocks.

Terence Davis, Raptors

(Photo by Tim Fuller/USA TODAY Sports)

The undrafted guard has earned significant playing time for head coach Nick Nurse and he has taken advantage of it. Davis is averaging 6.5 points and 2.8 rebounds in 30 games this season, including a career-high 19 points against the Orlando Magic on Nov. 20.

Chris Clemons, Rockets

(Photo by Troy Taormina/USA TODAY Sports)

The two-way rookie has contributed sporadically for the Rockets this season. Clemons has scored at least 15 points four different times and has given the Rockets a boost of offense off of the bench. His play has him on the verge of earning a standard NBA deal.

Eric Paschall, Warriors

(Photo by Jasen Vinlove/USA TODAY Sports)

After a strong start to his rookie campaign, Paschall has dealt with a few injuries recently. He has been dealing with a sore hip and suffered a knee injury, causing him to leave early on Friday against the Pelicans. Paschall played on Monday, a good indication he should be able to go on Wednesday.

Jordan Poole, Warriors

(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

With the Warriors battling through injuries for much of the season, Poole has been used quite frequently. His playing time has dropped recently, though, after struggling with his shot. In 29 games, Poole is averaging 7.1 points and shooting just 25.4% from the field.

Ky Bowman, Warriors

(Photo by Noah Graham/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Warriors have leaned quite a bit on two-way guard Ky Bowman so it is unclear if he will play but he has produced when called upon. Bowman is posting 8.3 points and 2.7 assists in 27 games this season and recently recorded two points in 22 minutes on Monday.

Mfiondu Kabengele, Clippers

(Photo by Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)

The first-round has shuttled between the NBA and G League this season, playing only mostly in mop-up duty with the Varsity squad. In the G League, though, Kabengele has been a monster after dropping 36 points and 12 rebounds on Dec. 12.

Terance Mann, Clippers

(Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)

Like Kabengele, Mann has been used periodically for the Clippers though has started five games for head coach Doc Rivers. Mann hasn’t played in five games so, like Kabengele, may not see much time on Christmas Day.

Jaxson Hayes, Pelicans

(Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images)

Without Zion Williamson, Hayes has been top rookie on the Pelicans. In 28 games, Hayes is averaging 8.7 points, 4.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game. Hayes recently scored in double figures in five of seven games but has cooled off since then, totaling just 12 points over his last three games.

Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Pelicans

(Photo by Logan Riely/NBAE via Getty Images)

Alexander-Walker has had a few spurts this season in which he has flashed his potential but has struggled to stay consistent with inconsistent playing time. He recently fell out of the rotation and may not see a ton of time on Wednesday.

Michael Porter Jr., Nuggets

(Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Nuggets have been trying to find more playing time for their redshirt freshman but have been unsuccessful in doing so. The team has been rumored to be shopping Malik Beasley, which would open the door for Porter, but the team has not yet moved him.

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Mfiondu Kabengele posted a monster stat line on G League assignment

The Clippers rookie recorded a career-high 36 points and 12 rebounds Tuesday night on assignment with the Agua Caliente Clippers.

Los Angeles Clippers rookie Mfiondu Kabengele scored a career-high 36 points on assignment Tuesday night with the Agua Caliente Clippers in the G League.

The first-round pick also added 12 rebounds, three assists and three blocks while he shot 14-of-24 from the field, including 5-of-9 from 3-point range in the 115-102 loss to the Santa Cruz Warriors. Kabengele has shuttled back and forth between the G League and NBA as he is averaging 16.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 2.4 blocks and 1.7 assists in nine G League games.

While Kabengele has mostly played in the G League, the former Florida State center has nine appearances with the Clippers in the NBA, mostly in mop-up duty. He recorded a career-high 10 points on Nov. 16 in a blowout win over the Atlanta Hawks.

In addition to knocking down 3-pointers, Kabengele was successful Tuesday night in pick-and-roll situations as his athleticism often proved to be too much down low for defenders.

After his performance, the Clippers recalled Kabengele from the G League.

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Mfiondu Kabengele had his first first double-double in the G League

The game marked the second of the season for Kabengele in the G League after scoring 10 points on Saturday night.

Los Angeles Clippers first-round pick Mfiondu Kabengele recorded a double-double with 12 points and 12 rebounds on a G League assignment with the Agua Caliente Clippers on Monday afternoon.

The game marked his second of the season in the G League after scoring 10 points against the Northern Arizona Suns on Saturday night. Kabengele struggled to shoot on Monday, though, finishing just 3-of-14 from the field in the contest.

While Kabengele didn’t shoot well, the former Seminoles center helped maintain the glass on both ends of the floor after hauling in four offensive rebounds. On one sequence, Kabengele blocked the shot by Abdul Gaddy, ran the floor on the break and finished an alley-oop dunk.

With playing time expected to be limited this season for Kabengele, the Clippers will likely continue to use him in the G League to get more reps in — he has logged just six minutes in the NBA.

After the game, the Clippers recalled Kabengele from the G League ahead of their showdown against the Toronto Raptors as he’ll be on the bench Monday night.

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