Kabengele, Mann now part of Clippers team favored to win NBA title
Just a few hours after Florida State stars Mfiondu Kabengele and Terance Mann were selected by the Los Angeles Clippers in last month's NBA Draft, Seminoles assistant coach Charlton Young raved about the opportunities before them.
Not only were they getting a chance to play together on the next level, but they would be part of an up-and-coming organization.
"It's a great situation for both of them," Young told Warchant that night. "They'll be comfortable because they've got each other, plus they're getting to help a winning organization -- a first-class organization."
Young probably had no idea how prophetic he was.
While there were reports at the time that the Clippers would be making a push for superstar Kawhi Leonard in free agency, the deal was far from a sure thing. In fact, several NBA analysts in recent days have reported that Leonard would more likely be signing with the Los Angeles Lakers or sticking with the Toronto Raptors, the team he just led to the 2019 NBA championship.
Early Saturday morning, everything changed.
According to reports, the Clippers not only have won the Kawhi Leonard sweepstakes, but they also have made a blockbuster deal to acquire six-time NBA All-Star Paul George from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for a slew of future draft picks and current players.
Shortly after the moves became public, oddsmaker William Hill revealed that the L.A. Clippers are now slight favorites to win the 2020 NBA championship.
In Leonard, the Clippers have the reigning NBA Finals MVP. And George was a member of the All-NBA first team this season.
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The signing should definitely be great news for Kabengele, a first-round pick who is projected to play center or power forward in the NBA. Leonard and George are versatile swing men who can play either small forward or shooting guard.
That could complicate things a little for Mann, however, who will be in the mix at both of those positions. As a second-round pick, he was projected to either start his career at the end of the Clippers' bench or with their G League team.
Mann seemed to take the news in stride, tweeting a humorous comment in reference to an earthquake that shook parts of California and Nevada late Friday night.
FSU's third connection to the Clippers, of course, is assistant coach Sam Cassell. The former Seminole and NBA star has been on Doc Rivers' staff for the past five years.
Both Kabengele and Mann will begin their professional careers tonight in an NBA summer-league game against the Lakers in Las Vegas. The game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
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