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FSU Basketball: Mfiondu Kabengele goes first round in mock NBA Draft

By Jason Parker

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 22: Mfiondu Kabengele #25 of the Florida State Seminoles reacts in the first half while taking on the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional at Staples Center on March 22, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 22: Mfiondu Kabengele #25 of the Florida State Seminoles reacts in the first half while taking on the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament West Regional at Staples Center on March 22, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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FSU basketball could have several players end up being picked in next month’s NBA Draft, with one underclassman getting a very popular pick to a powerhouse.

In recent weeks, the news went from good for the FSU basketball team – with some insiders already picking the Seminoles to have another deep finish next season – to bad with the news that sophomore power forward Mfiondu Kabengele was going to make an attempt to head to the next level as he declared for the NBA Draft.

It was a deep pill for the Seminoles to swallow after making it to the Sweet 16 round for the second straight year after Kabengele – the nephew of NBA rebounding legend Dikembe Mutombo – led the Noles in scoring last season despite not actually starting a single game over the course of the 2018-19 season.

While FSU basketball fans still have months to go until the start of the 2019-20 season when the Seminoles face off against Pittsburgh this coming November, those in garnet and gold will be awaiting where Kabengele and Terance Mann get selected this June in the NBA Draft.

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According to one rebatable mock draft in the basketball world, there won’t be long for at least one of them to get picked. CBSSports.com insider Kyle Boone recently released their latest mock drafts for the upcoming NBA selection process and had Kabengele being picked No. 22 overall by the Boston Celtics.

"Celtics fans love Al Horford, and they’ll love it if they draft his eventual successor at No. 22 here. Kabengele is still raw as a prospect. With the Celtics he could develop into a player like Horford (the two are almost identical in both height and weight) as a floor-spacer and defensive stalwart."

If you watched Kabengele play this season for FSU basketball, you would understand why fans of the Seminoles would be so sad to see him head to the NBA at this point – while, at the same time, understanding why he has the breakdown in his game structure that some teams will find too much to pass on in the upcoming draft.

FSU basketball fans can still hold on to the last second hope that Kabengele can change his mind and come back for another season in Tallahassee – but in this case, it’s time to just wish him well and get ready to root for him at the next level in the upcoming seasons.

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