Sep4th Nuggets Add D.J. Mbenga AUTHOR: madness | IN: Mining The Web | COMMENTS: None Yet | Didier Ilunga-Mbenga has a special spot to most fans in the NBA, but especially in most Nuggets fans hearts. He was on the receiving end of Ty Lawson’s infamous dunk against the Los Angeles Lakers last season. Now the Belgian media is reporting that Mbenga has reached an agreement of a 1-year deal with the Nuggets. Mbenga was on the Lakers roster when they won their two titles and was on Dallas Mavericks team when they advanced to the finals (he was suspended due to entering the stands to help coach Avery Johnson’s wife). Interesting enough, the Nuggets have now acquired the two least valuable big man in last season NBA Finals – Mbenga and Shelden Williams. Mbenga has played with the Lakers, Mavericks and Golden State Warriors. For his career, Mbenga has played in 193 games with a career average of 1.8 points and 1.4 rebounds a season. He is a very good shot blocker with great timing and is a quality offensive rebounder. He has a good shot for a big man, but terrible hands and coordination. It is hard to see what is role will be with the Nuggets, but it most likely won’t be decided until Carmelo Anthony’s fiasco is decided. Right now Mbenga, Al Harrington, Renaldo Balkman and Williams will bid for time while Chris Andersen and Kenyon Martin are on the mend. Mbenga at least gives the Nuggets size that they lacked after Johan Petro left as a free agent. On the personal side, Mbenga can speak five languages and is a black belt in Judo. He was born and raised in Zaire (also where former Nuggets’ center Dikembe Mutombo came from), where is father was a government official and was imprisoned after the government switched regimes. Mbenga’s father negotiated to have his sons, who were also imprisoned and were supposed to be executed, where D.J. fled to Belgium. http://nugglove.com/2010/09/04/nuggets-add-d-j-mbenga/
As it stands right now, the Nuggets would probably start this season with this roster: Nene/DJ Harrington/Williams Melo/Balkman Afflalo/Junior Billups/Lawson/Carter IR: Kenyon Martin and Chris Andersen
Good for him. Great story and wish him the best! Will never be much of an NBA player but that isn't really the point.
Stop hating, the dude is in the NBA doing his things and making millions while y'all critizing him but are maing 15$ an hour and sitting in front of a computer.
One of the dumbest things I've read. Come on man, why don't you factor in how many minutes a game he gets then you'll have a better understanding of his numbers and why they are what they are. If said player was averaging double figure minutes and still at the same points and rebounds average then yeah, you'd have a point. The guy provided more than points and rebounds to the team whenever he got in the game. Absolute energy guy and always plays with enthusiasm no matter how many minutes he receives, no matter when he gets in the game. As a backup big I don't think he is a bad option to have on any team.
