Ex-Boston Celtics big man finds new basketball home
By Sam LaFrance
Former Boston Celtics center Mfiondu Kabengele is moving on from the Cs this summer. According to HoopsHype, Kabengele has agreed to play his basketball for AEK Athens next season in Greece. The big man earned himself a spot on Boston’s roster last year with a two-way contract, after impressing in the NBA Summer League.
In just the one campaign in green, he appeared in only four games, playing about 9.0 minutes each time. Kabengele averaged 1.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 0.5 steals in his limited role while shooting 28.6% from the field.
The 26-year-old spent most of his time last year a bit further north, playing in 27 games for the Maine Celtics, Boston’s G-League affiliate. It was there where he really thrived. Kabengele averaged 20.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game on 60.4% shooting overall and 34.2% from beyond the arc.
Unfortunately for Kabengele, those numbers weren’t impressive enough to land him another home in the NBA — at least not yet. Plenty of players jump over from the Euroleague each season.
He joins an AEK Athens team that is coming off of a mediocre 2022-23 campaign. They finished sixth in Greece’s top division — The Basket League — with a record of 12-10.
Former Boston Celtics center Tacko Fall agrees to join Janjing Monkey Kings in China
Kabengele isn’t the only former Celtics center to be heading overseas to compete. Tacko Fall, who spent two seasons in Boston from 2019-2021, has agreed to join the Janjing Monkey Kings in the CBA, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
7'6 Tacko Fall is signing a new deal to return to China to play for the Nanjing Monkey Kings, sources say.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 14, 2023
Sitdown with @Stadium on CBA, meeting Victor Wembanyama one day: "Very awkward. It would be weird for me to look somebody in the eye..", tennis for newborn daughter, more: pic.twitter.com/Y13DrgFz9Y
In 26 games with the Celtics, Fall never found a spot in the rotation. He played just 6.5 minutes in each contest, averaging 2.7 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game. Despite the lack in numbers, Fall did contribute to some great moments at TD Garden.
His debut saw then-head coach Brad Stevens egg on a crowd that had been begging to see the 7-foot-six rookie check into the game. When Fall headed to the scorer’s table, the Garden faithful went nuts.