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As what? The funny lookin' guy on the team?
DJ Mbenga may be the third-string center, but his role on the Lakers is no less important.
Mbenga is the physical force that brings it every day in practice.
At 7-0, 255-pounds, Mbenga has the size and strength to push starting center Andrew Bynum and Pau Gasol when he moves from power forward to center.
Mbenga plays hard on defense. He looks to block shots. He looks to push his teammates.
"He changes our practices around," Lakers Coach Phil Jackson said about Mbenga. "He gives us a physical aspect. He's a contesting defender, and that makes it tough for the [starting] white team and the [second] blue team to just run overrun [teams]."
Unfortunately for Mbenga and the Lakers, he has had to deal with a hip flexor.
That has slowed Mbenga during training camp, limiting his practice time.
He missed the first five practice sessions and then practiced in preparation for the first exhibition game last Wednesday.
But the injury flared up at the shoot-around and Mbenga was unable to play.
Mbenga also missed the second exhibition game last Friday night against the Golden State Warriors.
He was able to get back to work Monday, getting in a little bit of practice. But Mbenga still is not 100% healthy just yet.
"He lost a little bit at practice this afternoon, but he's running better," Jackson said. "The pressure was too much, too many big guys coming at him from the blue [practice] team. But he'll get it back by tomorrow."
Over his five-year career, Mbenga averaged just 1.7 points per game.
Last season with the Lakers, he averaged just 2.7 points, 1.3 rebounds and 7.9 minutes in 23 games.
But it was more about the practice sessions for Mbenga.
That's where he has made his biggest impact.
Jackson is not ready to say how and if he'll use Mbenga during games this season.
"We definitely want to use him," Jackson said. "He's a guy that we rely on to be a backup. But what his minutes are going to be, I can't tell you that."
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-spw...0,703719.story
As what? The funny lookin' guy on the team?
DJ Mbenga? You cannot be serious?!
Watching him and Sasha play is pretty damn funny. Neither sux that badly, well Mbenga does... but theyre just funny as to watch playing basketball.
well his publicist is earning her salary
mbenga>oden
DJ Mbenga had to flee Congo under the threat of imprisonment, or more likely death, and his father was killed in the effort to get his family out of the country.
Kobe Bryant calls DJ "Congo" as a nickname. Why? Because Bryant is just that creative, and that great of a teammate.
mbenga was gonna kick Chris Mihms ass
then again, this is hilarious
meh who cares
He plays good music at practices.
Popovich is not ready to say how and if he'll use Mahinmi during games this season.
"We definitely want to use him," Popovich said. "He's a guy that we rely on to be a backup. But what his minutes are going to be, I can't tell you that."
I had called weeks ago lakerfan would start a lame Mbenga thread here
Laker version of a tlongII thread.
The irony of Tlong complaining about it is rich.
well somebody has to get the ball when it goes out of bounds
It's where he was originally from. What is wrong with calling him Congo? You're trying too hard.
mBenga's just one of those guys you root for. Likeable and plays hard.
He has like an ass-kicking degree, lived in Amsterdam for a few years and was something of a Prince in his native Congo. Hard not to like the guy.
OK as long as we are on the subject of sub par Laker players…What ever happened to Slava Medvedenko & Chris Mihm?
I disliked Meds, but, I felt bad that Mihm missed that ring by mere months. Ugh.
mBenga was about to beat the outta Chris Mihm; the Lakers had a decision to make so they got rid of Mihm and sent him to the Grizzlies I believe. Most Laker fans were rooting for him to fully recover, had a pretty good offensive game and somewhat passable defense.
Stanislav Medvedenko never saw a shot he didn't like...probably led to his getting booted. But he also had some injury that kept him out for a season, Laker's didn't want to wait and see if he'd get better and just cut him.
His father was idd an important man, but like others from his tribe, he was captivated, raped and tortured. Not to mention the sight of his family getting killed. Thanks to his connections he found a way out and landed in Belgium where he was discovered by a Belgian basketball legend. He learned b-ball when he was 19, 20 years old.
The guy isn't that talented but he has heart. Thats why he made it into the nba. You will rarely see a guy who gives more and works harder than him. He experienced alot of awfull and once introduced to b-ball he wanted to make something of his life and only had one dream: making the nba. He did just that. I have loads of respect for him. Not cuz he's 'Belgian' but cuz he's there where he wants to be and he's done it with the limited tools and talent he has.
what's next?
Phil Jackson's dog just took a . Make a thread about that lakerfan
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