The Los Angeles Lakers have signed free agent center Didier “DJ� Ilunga-Mbenga for the remainder of the season, it was announced today by General Manager Mitch Kupchak.
Mbenga, a 7-foot, 220 pound native of the Congo, signed a second 10-day contract with the Lakers on February 1st after signing his first 10-day contract with the Lakers on January 21st. In 8 games with the Lakers, Mbenga has averaged 2.3 points, 2.1 rebounds and 0.75 blocks in 7.1 minutes. Earlier in the season, Mbenga signed with the Golden State Warriors November 17 after spending three seasons with the Dallas Mavericks prior to their request for waivers on him October 30. In 16 games with the Warriors prior to his release January 6, Mbenga averaged 1.2 points, 1.9 rebounds and 0.63 blocked shots in 8.1 minutes.
After signing with Dallas as a rookie free agent in 2004, Mbenga, 27, played 79 games over three seasons with the Mavericks, totaling 106 points, 75 rebounds and 35 blocked shots in 374 minutes. In his rookie year of 2004-05, he averaged 4.10 blocks per 48 minutes played while improving to 5.00 blocks per 48 minutes in 2005-06. In 2006-07 he was limited to just 21 games after missing the first 16 games of the year with a left foot tendon strain and suffering a torn right ACL 2/7/07 vs. Memphis.
In 103 career games including two starts, Mbenga is averaging 1.4 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.50 blocked shots in 5.4 minutes.