Welcome, DJ Mbenga!!!
As many suspected would happen, the Lakers inked free agent DJ Mbenga to a 10-Day contract. For those unfamiliar with Didier Ilunga-Mbenga, whose career stats don't bear a ton of run since entering the league, a few tidbits. He's from the Congo. He's probably best known for shot blocking. Well, shot blocking and the ability to raise Stu Jackson's dander. While playing for Dallas, he got suspended one game for a flagrant to Lebron (which I'm sure will tickle more than a few of you). As a Mav, Mbenga also got punished six games for entering the stands. In its own right, that's a pretty impressive clip for a dude who's only played 95 games as an NBA pro (I would have played the "in the Congo, we're allowed to do that" card in a transparently lame attempt to escape disciplinary action).
Oh, and I'm pretty sure the "M" is silent.
Also got a couple scouting reports on the big man. The Hoopshype take, then one from ESPN's John Hollinger (apologies to those without insider access).
The official press release from the Lakers is below the jump.
AK
LAKERS SIGN DJ MBENGA
EL SEGUNDO - The Los Angeles Lakers have signed free agent center Didier “DJ” Ilunga-Mbenga to a 10-day contract, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.
Mbenga, a 7-foot, 220 pound native of the Congo, signed with the Golden State Warriors November 17 after spending three seasons with the Dallas Mavericks prior to their request for waivers on him October 30. In 16 games with the Warriors prior to his release January 6, Mbenga averaged 1.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.63 blocked shots in 8.1 minutes.
After signing with Dallas as a rookie free agent in 2004, Mbenga, 27, played 79 games over three seasons with the Mavericks, totaling 106 points, 75 rebounds and 35 blocked shots in 374 minutes. In his rookie year of 2004-05, he averaged 4.10 blocks per 48 minutes played while improving to 5.00 blocks per 48 minutes in 2005-06. In 2006-07 he was limited to just 21 games after missing the first 16 games of the year with a left foot tendon strain and suffering a torn right ACL 2/7/07 vs. Memphis.
In 95 career games including two starts, Mbenga is averaging 1.3 points, 1.1 rebounds and 0.47 blocked shots in 5.3 minutes.
The Lakers roster now stands at 15.
AK,
Your emotions are clearly affecting your argument if you think my arguments are politically correct. That's absolute nonsense.
YOU EVER NOTICE,
I like historical references. I think they're cool. You must be pretty intellectually insecure to be offended by someone else appreciating another blogger's historical reference.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | January 21, 2008 at 09:00 PM
reality bites,
You are clearly one of the moron-jerk hybrids my wise father was talking about.
GO LAKERS!
Posted by: Jon K. | January 21, 2008 at 09:03 PM
WEBBER VS. MBENGA:
What we're trying to do here is replace Bynum. Obviously, that can't be done completely. So, which part of Bynum's game is the most important -- his offense or his defense?
The Lakers were scoring a lot of points even before Bynum's recent breakout. Where they were losing games was on defense. As good as Bynum's offense has been, and as much as it has helped the Lakers' offense in general, it's his defense that's really been the most valuable part of his game.
Webber was a great player in his day, but is now at the end of his career. He isn't anywhere near the player he once was. He can still play some decent offense, but he has no defense at all now. Mbenga has no offense, but has Bynum's extra-long arms and is a big-time shot-blocker and lane-clogger. He has a good chance to provide defense roughly similar to Bynum's. That's the basic reason why he's a better choice for the Lakers right now than Webber. He also has good hands, so he may be able to make a few dunks off lobs like Bynum did early in his offensive development.
Mbenga was let go by Dallas and Golden State not because of his inability, but because what he had to offer wasn't what those teams needed. Dallas had the more experienced Diop to do the same things Mbenga did, and Golden State runs small ball. Mbenga will find a better fit with the Lakers than he had with either of those teams.
Finally, Mbenga has never had good instruction as a big man. Under Kareem, he'll have the best in the world. Mbenga is raw, but very athletic. Under Kareem's tutelage, he may become a much better player for the Lakers than he was for Dallas or Golden State.
During the last week I've been hoping the Lakers would take Mbenga over Webber, Jelani McCoy, and Marc Gasol. Now that they have, I think the Mbenga doubters out there are going to be pleasantly surprised, given a little time.
Posted by: rationalfan | January 21, 2008 at 09:49 PM
Jon K & You Ever Notice,
I hope you don't quarrel on the historical reference that I have quoted.
I don't mean to use the blog as a historical depository to be debated by fellow fans. I just used that frame of history to utilize efficiently our ragtag forces to go against the coming worthy opponents. I was after the strategies of going to the battle and apply it to tonight's game. If my post became long and may be verbose to the blog, at least we're entertained away from intriguing one another. As a blogger, AK/BK could attest you that I always try to mediate to any kind of misunderstandings. There is no reason to hate or to love one another because we are just bloggers. We are here to exchange ideas and be entertained as laker fans, so why do we have to unleash unpleasant remarks. As I said, we can't kust impose our own standards in the blog because this is not our personal propertym, we just share what we have and if others comment on it, so be it.
Posted by: Edwin Gueco | January 21, 2008 at 11:33 PM