Overview
Didier Ilunga-Mbenga is a center for the Los Angeles Lakers, who signed him as a free agent during the 2007-08 season. Mbenga has played for three teams during his five-season NBA career. He is listed at 7-feet tall and 255 pounds. He goes by "D.J." (which is what his first name sounds like when pronounced) and his last name is pronounced BEN-ga (the M is silent).
European Career
Mbenga began his basketball career in Belgium, where he was a refugee after having fled his birth country of The Congo. Mbenga played for the Antwerp Diamond Giants as a junior player in '99-00 and '00-01, before joining Spirou Gilly of Belgium's Second Division in '01-02.
In 2002-03, Mbenga split his time between Basket Groot Leuven of the Belgium First Division and Varese of the Italian Serie A. He averaged 2.4 PPG with Varese in 10 games of Serie A play. Mbenga increased his average to 2.6 PPG in 22 Serie A games in 2003-04, after which he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Mavericks.
In 2002-03, Mbenga split his time between Basket Groot Leuven of the Belgium First Division and Varese of the Italian Serie A. He averaged 2.4 PPG with Varese in 10 games of Serie A play. Mbenga increased his average to 2.6 PPG in 22 Serie A games in 2003-04, after which he was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Dallas Mavericks.
NBA Career
D.J. Mbenga signed a 2-yr/$3.4M contract with the Dallas Mavericks on July 14, 2004, and played 58 games for Dallas over the next two seasons. During the 2006 playoffs, Mbenga was suspended for six games for going into the stands, after he saw the wife of coach Avery Johnson being harassed by fans. Mbenga returned to play two games in the 2006 NBA Finals, and earned a three-year non-guaranteed contract in the summer of 2006.
Mbenga played just 21 games in 2006-07 before suffering a torn ACL against the Grizzlies. He was waived by the Mavericks just before the start of the 2007-08 season. The Warriors signed him two weeks later, but he played only 16 games for Golden State before being waived again. He signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Lakers, and eventually earned a contract for the remainder of the 2007-08 season, playing 28 regular-season and seven postseason games with Los Angeles. He did not see any game action during the 2008 NBA Finals against the Celtics.
The Lakers re-signed Mbenga on Sept. 24, 2008. He played 23 games in the regular season, averaging a career-high 2.7 PPG. He averaged 1.0 blocks per game, and his 6.4 blocks per 48 minutes led the NBA. He played sparingly in the NBA Finals, as the Lakers defeated the Magic to win the NBA Championship.
Mbenga played just 21 games in 2006-07 before suffering a torn ACL against the Grizzlies. He was waived by the Mavericks just before the start of the 2007-08 season. The Warriors signed him two weeks later, but he played only 16 games for Golden State before being waived again. He signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Lakers, and eventually earned a contract for the remainder of the 2007-08 season, playing 28 regular-season and seven postseason games with Los Angeles. He did not see any game action during the 2008 NBA Finals against the Celtics.
The Lakers re-signed Mbenga on Sept. 24, 2008. He played 23 games in the regular season, averaging a career-high 2.7 PPG. He averaged 1.0 blocks per game, and his 6.4 blocks per 48 minutes led the NBA. He played sparingly in the NBA Finals, as the Lakers defeated the Magic to win the NBA Championship.