Evaluating Mfiondu Kabengele’s Summer League with the Boston Celtics

As the Boston Celtics continue retooling their roster before training camp begins, there are some players from their Summer League squad who had standout performances.

Of the bunch, today we at the Houdini look at breakout big man, Mfiondu Kabengele.

Kabengele, the nephew of NBA Hall of Famer Dikembe Mutombo, came out of Florida State University after two productive seasons from 2017 to 2019.

In 71 games with the Seminoles, he put up solid numbers, averaging 10.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game on 49.8 percent shooting from the floor and 37.4 percent shooting from beyond the arc.

With his efforts, 6-9 big man went on to be the 27th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, picked by the Brooklyn Nets before being traded to the Los Angeles Clippers.

After playing 35 games across two seasons as a reserve, LA sent him to the Sacramento Kings during the 2020-21 season, as he would be waived a few days later.

He spent the rest of the year with the Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging a respectable four points and three rebounds playing under 12 minutes a game in 16 appearances. His last team was the Houston Rockets, who let him go after one day as he didn’t play in the 2021-22 campaign.

Knowing he is more than capable of helping a team despite not having had a legitimate chance to do so, Kabengele represented the shamrocks in the Summer League to show why he was a first-round pick in the first place.

Once it ended, he earned himself a two-way contract with the Boston Celtics almost immediately after balling out the way he did.

He played in all five games for the C’s, averaging 14.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.4 assists on 58.7 percent shooting from the field and 40 percent shooting from deep.

Kabengele was also very consistent in limiting opposing offenses with his inside defense, denying 2.2 shots and pickpocketing 0.8 balls per game.

His showing against the Golden State Warriors is where he was particularly in cruise control.

He overwhelmed the Warriors’ inside defense, dropping a double-double of 20 points and 13 boards while dishing out four assists and rejecting two shots on 6-of-11 shooting.

While he didn’t necessarily have a poor showing in Las Vegas, the game where he was the most pedestrian in was against the Memphis Grizzlies, yet he still finished with seven points, seven rebounds, three blocks, and a steal, while fellow teammate JD Davison stole the show with a 28-point, 10-assist double-double performance.

Kabengele must correct his mistakes quicker when possessing the ball.

He conceded an average of 2.8 turnovers per game, as opponents will make him a target for easy steals if the issue is not resolved. He should also continue working on his perimeter shot, as being able to stretch the floor as a big man will allow him to stay involved in an offense reliant on the 3-point shot as the Boston Celtics are (ranked ninth in the league for 3-pointers attempted throughout the 2021-22 season).

While he joins Davison as the only other player to receive a two-way contract with the club, Kabengele has a better chance at getting consistent rotation minutes on the varsity team.

As the Celtics figure out who can be the backup center behind Robert Williams III, Kabengele has a strong case to make with his solid productivity and mobility, while also only being 24 years old.

If Kabengele can handle the responsibilities Boston gives to him, he can still create a name for himself in his still-promising NBA career.