NBA Draft 2019: 5 potential sleepers to watch

HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT - MARCH 23: Mfiondu Kabengele #25 of the Florida State Seminoles dunks the ball against the Murray State Racers in the second half during the second round of the 2019 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at XL Center on March 23, 2019 in Hartford, Connecticut. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images) /

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ANAHEIM, CA – MARCH 28: Florida State forward Mfiondu Kabengele (25) celebrates after a foul call during the NCAA Division I Men’s Championship Sweet Sixteen round game between the Florida State Seminoles and the Gonzaga Bulldogs on March 28, 2019, at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. (Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

5. Mfiondu Kabengele, Center, Florida State

A late-bloomer for most of his basketball career, Mfiondu Kabengele firmly put himself in the 2019 NBA Draft discussion thanks to a phenomenal sophomore campaign at Florida State which saw him win ACC Sixth Man of the Year. At 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, the Canadian has the looks of a modern big man. He also has the game.

After a quiet freshman season, Kabengele turned things around in a big way during his second season in Tallahassee. He played more games, he played more minutes, he scored more points, he shot better from the floor, he grabbed more rebounds, he blocked more shots. In essence, he was a completely different player. At times last year, it looked like Kabengele had the makings of the rare “stretch-5” who could also serve as a rim protector.

Defending the interior is in his DNA, Kabengele is the nephew of famed shot-blocker Dikembe Mutombo. While he doesn’t boast the finger-wagging confidence of his uncle, Kabengele isn’t afraid to challenge any player at the rim if he thinks he has a chance of blocking the shot or dunk attempt. On defense, he isn’t landlocked to just the paint, he showed the ability to hang on the perimeter occasionally with guards and wings. His Swiss Army Knife defensive abilities will make him a rare player at his size.

Finally, on offense Kabengele provides a team with the ability to space the floor as he shot 37.4 percent on 3-pointers in his career at Florida State. We saw what Brook Lopez was able to provide the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo this season, that is the best case scenario for Kabengele. However, he doesn’t only reside on the perimeter. He’s gotten better in the post and attacks the glass with reckless abandon at times. While still raw in certain aspects, Kabengele has the blueprint to become an instant impact player in the league if developed correctly.

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