FSU Basketball: Fans react to Mfiondu Kabengele declaring for NBA Draft
By Kelvin Hunt
FSU basketball will lose its top scorer Mfiondu Kabengele to the NBA Draft. FSU fans react to the news and we discuss the impact of the decision.
FSU basketball is coming off a record 29 win season while losing a senior class that has the most wins FSU history.
Well, FSU basketball has now lost its leading scorer from the 2018-19 season and the ACC Sixth Man of the Year.
Sophomore forward Mfiondu Kabengele has declared for the NBA Draft and will sign with an agent.
That move will prevent him from returning to FSU basketball as a player if he’s drafted in June.
Fan Reaction
Mfiondu Kabengele is declaring for the NBA Draft with the intention of staying in. Big hit for the Seminoles. (via @EvanDaniels)
— Jonathon Warriner (@Bracketologist3) April 9, 2019
Florida State’s Mfiondu Kabengele is heading to the draft and staying there. First round pick for me and a huge loss for Florida State.
— Gabe (@Hoops_GE) April 9, 2019
Please stay. You'll be a top 10 pick next year no doubt.
— Tony (@LightningFan083) April 9, 2019
Good luck Brother. We will miss you. #Noles
— King V (@kingv99Orlando) April 9, 2019
— Austin Burk (@NoleShiesty) April 9, 2019
Thank you for helping turnaround this program into a Basketball school🍢
— Jared Waldrip (@WaldripJared) April 9, 2019
Good luck young man you will be missed thanks for your hard work and dedication GO NOLES FSU FOR LIFE!
— NOLES1 (@Kevinlann1) April 9, 2019
Thoughts
As you can see most fans are happy for Mfiondu Kabengele and his pursuit to not play for free next season.
Kabengele led the Noles to a No. 13 ranking in the final Coaches poll after losing to No. 1 seed Gonzaga in the Sweet 16.
He led the Noles in scoring with 13.2 ppg while only averaging 21.6 minutes per game. Kabengele assumed the rule of coming off the bench to protect him against foul trouble though he still averaged 2.6 fouls per game.
He saw his numbers improve over his freshman season nearly doubling his points per game (7.2 to 13.2) and rebounding from (4.6 to 5.9 per game). He increased his minutes per game from (14.8 to 21.6) and free throw shooting from 65.7 percent to 76.1 percent.
Kabengele was one of FSU’s most passionate players who often let out roars or screams after a thunderous dunk. His move to the NBA only leaves FSU with two returning starters next year in Trent Forrest and M.J. Walker.
The big question now is will Forrest and Walker be able to step up their games as juniors and seniors to help absorb the scoring void Kabenbele will leave?
Next. Should Noles Be Ranked Top 20 in Preseason 2019-20?. dark
The nephew of former NBA center Dikembe Mutumbo is projected to be drafted in the late first or early second round in most mock drafts.