Mbenga has rough past, bright future

[Pongo]

Mbenga has rough past, bright future

Mbenga surprises Mavs with progress at center

09:08 PM CDT on Sunday, October 24, 2004


By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News


D.J. Mbenga has a black belt in judo. He doesn't like to flaunt it, but neither is he afraid to show his ability.

"I'll cut your legs from under you," he said, "then it's all over in two minutes."

That's an exaggeration, of course.

It doesn't take anywhere close to two minutes.

The Mavericks' perennial search for toughness could be bearing fruit. They don't come much tougher than the 7-0, 245-pound Mbenga (pronounced BENG-a). The newest import to the Mavericks' melting pot is a special package of raw basketball gifts who was born in the Republic of Congo and landed in the NBA via Belgium.Through three weeks of training camp, the team already is excited about the future of Mbenga, who has already had a pretty incredible past.

Mbenga, 23, began life as the fortunate son of a family that was involved in the Congan government, meaning they had plenty of money by his country's standards. But when a new regime took over, things got nasty.

"I lived in Congo 17 years," Mbenga said in broken English. "My dad worked for the last regime. When it changed, we could not stay there. The new regime was looking for everybody who worked for [the previous leaders]. It was dangerous for me.

"I saw many guys killed. I remember police stopping me. Every time I went out, people would stop me."

Mbenga and his mother fled to Belgium after his father died. (Mbenga said he didn't know the circumstances of his father's death.) Living in Belgium wasn't a major change in lifestyle. But it's where Mbenga's life turned around.

After much prodding, a friend convinced him to try basketball, a game he'd never played, other than an occasional pickup game between judo practices. After five minutes of dunking and dribbling, judo took a back seat. There was a reason basketball felt natural, besides the fact he's 7-0.

"I want to forget everything in my past," he said. "So when I practice, I forget all about that and concentrate on basketball."

That opening led to three seasons in the Belgian League, which is to the NBA what a bumper-car ride is to NASCAR.

His size, speed and promise kept him in the league. Even through a major knee injury, he kept plugging away. And all the while, the Mavericks were taking notes.

Anybody who has seen Mbenga during preseason action sprint the court like a wide receiver, yet fly above the rim to swat shots, knows why. This is a special package of raw basketball gifts, which is why he's gone from an injured-list candidate to a likely active-roster player when the regular season opens Nov. 2. Coach Don Nelson proclaimed him the backup center Friday.

"He's strong, athletic and can run like a gazelle," player/coach Avery Johnson said. "We talked about him possibly being our fourth center, and I don't think that set too well with him. He's not content with that."

Interestingly, his judo background has helped him immensely on the basketball court. Judo was his passion from the time he was growing up in the Congo to his arrival in Belgium. He practiced religiously, and it taught him lessons that translate into basketball.

"Judo is all footwork," he said. "You're always moving your feet, as well as your hands. It's just like basketball."

It was lucky for the Mavericks that Mbenga played for coaches in Belgium who had other agendas. They had players from their own countries that they had to play. Mbenga barely got off the bench. That kept other NBA teams from getting wind of him.

When he signed for two years with the Mavericks ($1.6 million this season), it was the beginning of a new journey.

"It's not simple adjusting," he said of living in the United States. "It's a big difference. I try to learn everything and everybody. But it's a big difference. The language, I'm starting to understand. Two months ago, I could say nothing."

Now he has learned enough to know he's thankful to be here.

"Everything – food, girls, everything – is the best here," he said.

And Mbenga is going after his big break with unbridled passion.

"I want to make the most of this," he said.

[Blonde Bomber]

"Everything – food, girls, everything – is the best here," he said.

I'm glad to see that DJ has his prioritys in order[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

[V]

Didier hopes to play as number 28. That's because he comes from a family of 21 children, and Willy Steveniers, the coach who trained him, used to play as number 7; 21 plus 7 are 28, hence the wish of Didier Mbenga Ilunga to wear a number 28 shirt.

link

[Windmill360]

Four years ago he was in a prison cell in Kinshasa, accused of war crimes, awaiting trial and a likely execution.

-- Wow. Nice find V. Very interesting.