TORONTO – Los Angeles Clippers rookie, and Burlington, Ont., native, Mfiondu Kabengele says he will suit up for Team Canada at the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in late June if he gets the invite and is able to make the team.
Speaking before his Clippers took on the Toronto Raptors Wednesday evening, Kabengele cites the “wave” of commitment from top Canadian basketball talent as a motivating factor for wanting to be there in Victoria, B.C.
“With the guys that have committed, the wave,” said Kabengele. “I’m very proud of the guys to take the first step and take the initiative, because now it’s like, ‘Oh, you’re part of it? I want to be part of it, too.’”
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The guys Kabengele are referring to are fellow Canadian NBA players who have publicly stated their intention to try to help the Canadian men’s basketball team reach the Olympic games for the first time since 2000.
Guys such as Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Chris Boucher from the Raptors.
For Kabengele, knowing some of Canada’s top guns want to be involved is reassuring.
“You don’t want to commit and then feel like you’re by yourself,” said Kabengele. “But now there’s a wave of us coming at a time so everyone can be on the same page so we’ll do this the right way.”
Kabengele was the 27th-overall pick of last June’s draft out of Florida State. He hasn’t played much with the Clippers in his rookie season, getting into just nine games and averaging just a little over nine minutes per game, but he’s played well in opportunities in the G League, averaging 13.9 points and 9.9 rebounds per game with the Agua Caliente Clippers.
Back as close to home as he possibly could be for an NBA game, Kabengele had about 18 people in attendance at Scotiabank Arena Wednesday. And, on a night all about Kawhi Leonard getting the big tribute treatment and receiving his championship ring, the Raptors also managed to squeeze in a tribute for former player Lou Williams, as well as one for Kabengele.
Mfiondu Kabengele, who is Canadian, just got a video tribute from the Raptors. This is the third one of the night pic.twitter.com/fJzmxr13dE
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) December 12, 2019
And with the game well in hand for the Clippers, Kabengele checked in for Los Angeles with about three minutes left to play and knocked in a three-pointer.
Not exactly the most productive of evenings from a box score perspective, but memorable nonetheless for the 22-year-old who was, essentially, an unknown until last season with Seminoles. In that year, he exploded onto the scene and led Florida State in scoring — despite coming off the bench — to earn the 2019 ACC Sixth Man of the Year award.
The big sophomore campaign he had with Florida State led him to getting drafted by the Clippers and also put him firmly on Canada Basketball’s radar as he was one of 29 athletes the program invited to training campfor the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup. A significant fact as Kabengele has never suited up for Team Canada, at any level, before in his career.
“I was a late bloomer, so I was never really seen,” said Kabengele of having never played for Canada Basketball. “I was a young kid, I was still learning how to play the game the right way. But now that my game’s caught up I feel like Team Canada and I are on the same page and we can do this now.”
So while it took a little bit for Kabengele to make it to the level where he can suit up for Canada, he feels he’s there now and wants to make it happen this summer with eyes towards another goal of his.
“Yeah, to be able to potentially be an Olympian,” he said, discussing setting playing for Canada as a desire he’s always had. “You watch Team Canada, you watch the kind of Canadian basketball and there’s only a few of us who play at that level. So to be part of that group and to wear that jersey. That, for sure, would be an honour.”
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