# Wenyen Gabriel
**Wenyen Gabriel** (born 1997) is a South Sudanese professional basketball forward, 6'9" (2.06 m) and 205 lb (93 kg), who played five seasons in the NBA and represents the [South Sudan](https://www.edgepedia.org/south-sudan) national team[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1629117/wenyen-gabriel/stats). Born in Khartoum, Sudan, he went undrafted in 2018 after two seasons at the [University of Kentucky](https://www.edgepedia.org/university-of-kentucky) and appeared in 150 NBA games for seven franchises, most prominently the [Los Angeles Lakers](https://www.edgepedia.org/los-angeles-lakers)[2](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gabriwe01.html). Internationally, he was the top shot-blocker of the 2023 FIBA World Cup and started for South Sudan at the 2024 Paris Olympics[3](https://maccabi.co.il/Player.asp?PlayerUID=438&lang=en).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1997, Khartoum, Sudan[2](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gabriwe01.html) |
| Physical profile | 6'9" (2.06 m), 205 lb (93 kg), forward[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1629117/wenyen-gabriel/stats) |
| College | Kentucky, 2016–2018; declared for the 2018 NBA Draft as a sophomore and went undrafted[4](https://ukathletics.com/news/2018/05/30/mens-basketball-wenyen-gabriel-elects-to-remain-in-2018-nba-draft/) |
| NBA career | 5 years, 150 games, 4.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 0.5 assists per game; career earnings of at least $5,488,390[2](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gabriwe01.html) |
| Best NBA season | 2022-23 with the Lakers: 68 games, 5.5 points, 4.2 rebounds, 59.6% field-goal shooting[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1629117/wenyen-gabriel/stats) |
| National team | South Sudan; top shot-blocker of the 2023 FIBA World Cup, 5.7 points and 9 rebounds per game at Paris 2024[3](https://maccabi.co.il/Player.asp?PlayerUID=438&lang=en) |
| Clubs after the NBA | Maccabi Tel Aviv (2024), later FC Bayern München[3](https://maccabi.co.il/Player.asp?PlayerUID=438&lang=en) • [5](https://basketballstats.net/players/gabriel-wenyen) |
## Early life
Gabriel was born in Khartoum, in what was then Sudan[2](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gabriwe01.html). He was forced to flee South Sudan as a baby and built a new life in the United States, where he grew up[6](https://as.com/actualidad/politica/wenyen-gabriel-exnba-ser-refugiado-deberia-ser-solo-un-capitulo-de-tu-vida-nunca-el-final-de-tu-historia-f202607-n/). He has described watching his parents work two and even three jobs at the same time, and has said that being a refugee "should be only a chapter of your life, never the end of your story"[6](https://as.com/actualidad/politica/wenyen-gabriel-exnba-ser-refugiado-deberia-ser-solo-un-capitulo-de-tu-vida-nunca-el-final-de-tu-historia-f202607-n/).
## College career at Kentucky
Gabriel played two seasons for the Kentucky Wildcats under coach [John Calipari](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-calipari)[4](https://ukathletics.com/news/2018/05/30/mens-basketball-wenyen-gabriel-elects-to-remain-in-2018-nba-draft/). As a freshman he appeared in all 38 games with 23 starts, averaging 4.6 points and 4.8 rebounds in 17.8 minutes, and scored a career-high 23 points in a win over LSU that began a 14-game winning streak[7](https://ukathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/player/wenyen-gabriel/).
His sophomore season was a statistical step forward across the board: 6.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, a team-leading 40 blocks, and 42 three-pointers, second on the team. During Kentucky's three-game march to the SEC title, he put up per-game averages of 13.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks, earning a spot on the Southeastern Conference All-Tournament Team.[7](https://ukathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/player/wenyen-gabriel/)
In May 2018, hours before the NCAA deadline to return to school, Gabriel elected to remain in the NBA Draft, ending his collegiate career[4](https://ukathletics.com/news/2018/05/30/mens-basketball-wenyen-gabriel-elects-to-remain-in-2018-nba-draft/).
## NBA career
No franchise drafted Gabriel in 2018, but the [Sacramento Kings](https://www.edgepedia.org/sacramento-kings) signed him for their Summer League team and gave him a two-way contract; he spent the season with the Stockton Kings, Sacramento's G League affiliate[8](https://as.com/baloncesto/euroliga/los-ex-nba-que-cruzan-el-charco-hasta-el-viejo-continente-para-disputar-la-euroliga-n/). His NBA debut came on October 23, 2019[2](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gabriwe01.html).
Over the next seasons he moved between teams on short deals. After his rookie year with the Kings, split between 11 games in Sacramento and 19 with the [Portland Trail Blazers](https://www.edgepedia.org/portland-trail-blazers), he had stints with the [New Orleans Pelicans](https://www.edgepedia.org/new-orleans-pelicans) (21 games), [Brooklyn Nets](https://www.edgepedia.org/brooklyn-nets) (1), and LA Clippers (6)[8](https://as.com/baloncesto/euroliga/los-ex-nba-que-cruzan-el-charco-hasta-el-viejo-continente-para-disputar-la-euroliga-n/).
**The Lakers years.** Gabriel signed a standard NBA contract with the Lakers on April 8, 2022, and the 2022-23 season became his most substantial NBA role[9](https://lalweb.blob.core.windows.net/public/lakers/media-relations/2022-23-Lakers-Media-Guide.pdf). He appeared in a career-high 68 games, averaging 5.5 points and 4.2 rebounds in 15.1 minutes while shooting 59.6% from the field, and logged 1,024 minutes[1](https://www.nba.com/player/1629117/wenyen-gabriel/stats) • [10](https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2023/6/4/23747507/season-review-wenyen-gabriel-los-angeles-lakers-free-agency). Coach [Darvin Ham](https://www.edgepedia.org/darvin-ham) used him as an energetic reserve big man valued for rebounding and defense; after Gabriel pulled down nine rebounds in 19 minutes against the Raptors, coach [Frank Vogel](https://www.edgepedia.org/frank-vogel) had earlier praised "the energy that Wenyen brings to our team"[11](https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2022/3/25/22995575/lakers-wenyen-gabriel-analysis-stats-impact-home-contract/). His season ended early: the Lakers listed him as inactive for the 2023 playoffs with a left knee injury requiring ACL surgery[12](https://cdn.nba.com/teams/uploads/sites/1610612739/2023/04/2023-playoff-guide.pdf).
His final NBA stop was the [Memphis Grizzlies](https://www.edgepedia.org/memphis-grizzlies) in 2023-24, five games in which he averaged 3.4 points and 3.6 rebounds[8](https://as.com/baloncesto/euroliga/los-ex-nba-que-cruzan-el-charco-hasta-el-viejo-continente-para-disputar-la-euroliga-n/). Across five NBA seasons he made at least $5,488,390 playing professional basketball[2](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gabriwe01.html).
## South Sudan national team
Gabriel has been a central figure in the rise of South Sudan's Bright Stars, a federation that has existed only since 2013 and whose squad is drawn largely from the diaspora[13](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/sports/article/2024/07/31/paris-2024-south-sudan-s-bright-stars-the-stuff-of-dreams-for-aspiring-basketball-players_6706214_9.html). At the 2023 FIBA World Cup, where South Sudan earned an Olympic berth, he was the tournament's top shot-blocker, and FIBA's scouting report credited him with 9.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 14.2 efficiency per game[3](https://maccabi.co.il/Player.asp?PlayerUID=438&lang=en) • [14](https://assets.fiba.basketball/image/upload/documents-corporate-studies-and-facts-fiba-scouting-report-fiba-basketball-world-cup-2023.pdf).
At the Paris 2024 Olympics he averaged 5.7 points and 9 rebounds per game[3](https://maccabi.co.il/Player.asp?PlayerUID=438&lang=en). After a narrow 101-100 pre-tournament loss to the United States and an opening win over Puerto Rico, the team's run drew attention across Africa. Speaking after the game against the US, Gabriel pointed to the structural gap behind the team's success: "We don't have any indoor basketball courts in our country... There are some tall kids back in the village... Seven feet tall and they're herding cows"[13](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/sports/article/2024/07/31/paris-2024-south-sudan-s-bright-stars-the-stuff-of-dreams-for-aspiring-basketball-players_6706214_9.html). He has called the squad a "band of refugees" fighting a battle that goes beyond sport[13](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/sports/article/2024/07/31/paris-2024-south-sudan-s-bright-stars-the-stuff-of-dreams-for-aspiring-basketball-players_6706214_9.html).
## Europe and humanitarian work
He later joined FC Bayern München in Germany, where he has averaged 6.5 points and 4.1 rebounds per game[5](https://basketballstats.net/players/gabriel-wenyen).
Off the court he has returned to South Sudan with UNHCR (ACNUR), visiting displaced communities in Maban County in the country's northeast, where refugees and South Sudanese people live, study, and play sport together[6](https://as.com/actualidad/politica/wenyen-gabriel-exnba-ser-refugiado-deberia-ser-solo-un-capitulo-de-tu-vida-nunca-el-final-de-tu-historia-f202607-n/).
## References
1. [Wenyen Gabriel – Stats, NBA.com](https://www.nba.com/player/1629117/wenyen-gabriel/stats)
2. [Wenyen Gabriel Stats, Basketball-Reference.com](https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/g/gabriwe01.html)
3. [Wenyen Gabriel, Former Player, Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club](https://maccabi.co.il/Player.asp?PlayerUID=438&lang=en)
4. [Gabriel Elects to Remain in 2018 NBA Draft, UK Athletics](https://ukathletics.com/news/2018/05/30/mens-basketball-wenyen-gabriel-elects-to-remain-in-2018-nba-draft/)
5. [Wenyen Gabriel Stats, BasketballStats](https://basketballstats.net/players/gabriel-wenyen)
6. [Wenyen Gabriel, exNBA: "Ser refugiado debería ser sólo un capítulo de tu vida, nunca el final de tu historia", AS.com](https://as.com/actualidad/politica/wenyen-gabriel-exnba-ser-refugiado-deberia-ser-solo-un-capitulo-de-tu-vida-nunca-el-final-de-tu-historia-f202607-n/)
7. [Wenyen Gabriel – UK Athletics roster](https://ukathletics.com/sports/mbball/roster/player/wenyen-gabriel/)
8. [Los ex NBA que cruzan el charco hasta el Viejo Continente para disputar la Euroliga, AS.com](https://as.com/baloncesto/euroliga/los-ex-nba-que-cruzan-el-charco-hasta-el-viejo-continente-para-disputar-la-euroliga-n/)
9. [2022-23 Lakers Media Guide](https://lalweb.blob.core.windows.net/public/lakers/media-relations/2022-23-Lakers-Media-Guide.pdf)
10. [Lakers Season Review: Wenyen Gabriel, Silver Screen and Roll](https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2023/6/4/23747507/season-review-wenyen-gabriel-los-angeles-lakers-free-agency)
11. [How Wenyen Gabriel has carved out an important role with the Lakers, Silver Screen and Roll](https://www.silverscreenandroll.com/2022/3/25/22995575/lakers-wenyen-gabriel-analysis-stats-impact-home-contract/)
12. [2022-23 Lakers Playoff Guide, box scores game-by-game](https://cdn.nba.com/teams/uploads/sites/1610612739/2023/04/2023-playoff-guide.pdf)
13. [Paris 2024: South Sudan's Bright Stars, the stuff of dreams for aspiring basketball players, Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/en/sports/article/2024/07/31/paris-2024-south-sudan-s-bright-stars-the-stuff-of-dreams-for-aspiring-basketball-players_6706214_9.html)
14. [FIBA Scouting Report, FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023: South Sudan](https://assets.fiba.basketball/image/upload/documents-corporate-studies-and-facts-fiba-scouting-report-fiba-basketball-world-cup-2023.pdf)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Basketball and court team sports › Basketball players and coaches (biographies) › Current NBA players › Power forwards*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license