Mfiondu Kabengele played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics in the NBA. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Mfiondu Kabengele played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics in the NBA. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Mfiondu Kabengele played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics in the NBA. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Mfiondu Kabengele played for the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics in the NBA. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Mfiondu Kabengele excited by Dubai Basketball project and opportunity to 'be a better Muslim' in UAE


Jamie Goodwin
  • English
  • Arabic

Dubai Basketball's new Canadian big man Mfiondu Kabengele says he joined the emirate’s newest elite sports team to become a better player – and a better Muslim.

The 2.08m former NBA centre, who played 55 games with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Boston Celtics from 2019 to 2022, signed on a two-year deal from Reyer Venezia in Italy after impressing in last season’s EuroCup, the second tier of EuroLeague.

Kabengele was the EuroCup’s top rebounder, averaging 9.7 per game to go along with 15.4 points, earning him a spot on the All-EuroCup First Team. In the Italian League, he averaged 15.2 points and 9.8 rebounds.

He said after talking to Dubai’s coaching staff, he believes playing for the UAE club will give him the chance to show off his other talents.

“Rebounding, rebounding and setting good screens and being a defensive anchor is the cake of my game,” he said. “But the icing, the decoration – that's what kind of makes the cake pretty – was the shooting, attacking mismatches, pushing the break, potentially shooting outside the paint, shooting the three-pointer, that kind of stuff.

“One of the things that drew me [to Dubai] was because they recognised and watched my game and what it could be.

“A lot of people see me how I am and want me for how I am and not for what I could be. And that enticed me to come here because I know there's room for me to grow.

“I know it takes work. They told me you have to work for it. And then once I prove that I put the work in and show it in practice, I can grow my role steadily and surely, which is why I agreed to be here for a long period of time.

“I come from the NBA. EuroLeague is the second-best league in the world in my opinion, and the best league in Europe. So coming here, seeing the potential competition, a lot of guys who are veterans, pros, super skilled, because it is a little bit of a different game compared to the American style, but even though it is different aesthetically, the ability, the strategy is top-notch.”

Dubai play their first EuroLeague game against Partizan Belgrade on Tuesday, following an impressive first season in professional basketball, finishing third in the Adriatic region’s ABA League and earning an invitation to join Europe’s elite teams.

They brought in several experienced EuroLeague stars alongside a handful of former NBA players to ensure the best chance of competing against some of world basketball’s top teams.

But Kabengele, who helped the Rio Grande Valley Vipers to the 2022 championship in the NBA G League, its minor league, says his move to Dubai was about more than basketball.

“I became Muslim on February 11, 2023, and just the opportunity to be around other people [who share my faith], I feel like I'd be a better Muslim,” he said.

“I feel like I'd be a higher character, because you are who you surround yourself with. I feel being over here, being challenged, the way Dubai is set up, especially aesthetically and the culture here.

“I want to be the gentleman I was taught to be growing up. And I feel like Dubai will do that for me because of the people here, the mosques, the culture.

“It's exciting for me, especially because I know there's room for me to grow as a person, especially as a basketball player, so to be here and to be fully engulfed in it, there’s no turning back. My passport is stamped.”

Serbian point guard Aleksa Avramovic is another who arrived in Dubai with high expectations because of his experience, energy and scoring ability.

The Olympic bronze medallist signed on a three-year deal from CSKA Moscow, where he averaged 12.2 points and 3.4 assists.

He said joining so many former teammates for club and country means building team chemistry will be no problem for Dubai.

“This is the third team I have played together with [Nemanja] Dangubic. I played with [Danilo] Andusic in Partizan and now in the national team, and I know Filip Petrusev from the national team,” said the 30-year-old.

“A lot of people on the team are from the ex-Yugoslavia. We talk Serbian. About nine of our players speak Serbian, including [former NBA three-point shooter] Davis Bertans and [Dzanan] Musa too, so it's easier to make an impact on the court.

“We like each other, but we need to work. We need to grow up together and build team chemistry, to build momentum.”

Avramovic, who counts Dubai’s first opponents Partizan among his former teams, said a good start in EuroLeague is vital if they are going to compete with the best teams in the competition.

While the opening game may come too early for him because of a minor injury, he said he would love to make his Dubai debut against his former employer.

“Making a good start in the EuroLeague means a lot. It can define your season. It can guide you to the next level,” he said.

“If you have a good start, you just need to continue on that path, but if you start the wrong way, you will need to constantly find your rhythm, to find your form and to start to build your team's momentum. Then you will start to win.

“It would be very emotional playing against Partizan. It will be emotional, but I'm going to give 100 per cent, even more for Dubai.”

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Company profile: buybackbazaar.com

Name: buybackbazaar.com

Started: January 2018

Founder(s): Pishu Ganglani and Ricky Husaini

Based: Dubai

Sector: FinTech, micro finance

Initial investment: $1 million

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CONCRETE COWBOY

Directed by: Ricky Staub

Starring: Idris Elba, Caleb McLaughlin, Jharrel Jerome

3.5/5 stars

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Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

Scores

Scotland 54-17 Fiji
England 15-16 New Zealand

Yemen's Bahais and the charges they often face

The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.

The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran. 

Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf. 

"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said. 

Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer. 

The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy. 

 

UFC Fight Night 2

1am – Early prelims

2am – Prelims

4am-7am – Main card

7:30am-9am – press cons

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Wicked: For Good

Director: Jon M Chu

Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater

Rating: 4/5

Various Artists 
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
​​​​​​​

The specs

Engine: 8.0-litre, quad-turbo 16-cylinder

Transmission: 7-speed auto

0-100kmh 2.3 seconds

0-200kmh 5.5 seconds

0-300kmh 11.6 seconds

Power: 1500hp

Torque: 1600Nm

Price: Dh13,400,000

On sale: now

Expert advice

“Join in with a group like Cycle Safe Dubai or TrainYAS, where you’ll meet like-minded people and always have support on hand.”

Stewart Howison, co-founder of Cycle Safe Dubai and owner of Revolution Cycles

“When you sweat a lot, you lose a lot of salt and other electrolytes from your body. If your electrolytes drop enough, you will be at risk of cramping. To prevent salt deficiency, simply add an electrolyte mix to your water.”

Cornelia Gloor, head of RAK Hospital’s Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy Centre 

“Don’t make the mistake of thinking you can ride as fast or as far during the summer as you do in cooler weather. The heat will make you expend more energy to maintain a speed that might normally be comfortable, so pace yourself when riding during the hotter parts of the day.”

Chandrashekar Nandi, physiotherapist at Burjeel Hospital in Dubai
 

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'Gold'

Director:Anthony Hayes

Stars:Zaf Efron, Anthony Hayes

Rating:3/5

If you go

The flights Etihad (www.etihad.com) and Spice Jet (www.spicejet.com) fly direct from Abu Dhabi and Dubai to Pune respectively from Dh1,000 return including taxes. Pune airport is 90 minutes away by road. 

The hotels A stay at Atmantan Wellness Resort (www.atmantan.com) costs from Rs24,000 (Dh1,235) per night, including taxes, consultations, meals and a treatment package.
 

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Sri Lanka-India Test series schedule

1st Test July 26-30 in Galle

2nd Test August 3-7 in Colombo

3rd Test August 12-16 in Pallekele

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

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If you go

The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.

The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).

When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.

What can victims do?

Always use only regulated platforms

Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion

Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)

Report to local authorities

Warn others to prevent further harm

Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence

The specs

Engine: 6.2-litre V8

Transmission: seven-speed auto

Power: 420 bhp

Torque: 624Nm

Price: from Dh293,200

On sale: now

The specs

Engine: 3.8-litre V6

Power: 295hp at 6,000rpm

Torque: 355Nm at 5,200rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.7L/100km

Price: Dh179,999-plus

On sale: now 

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The years Ramadan fell in May

1987

1954

1921

1888

Updated: September 29, 2025, 11:39 AM