Ben Raab, Contributing Photographer

Speaking on the development of point guard Bez Mbeng ’25 at the end of last season, Yale head coach James Jones used an analogy from the movie “The Matrix.” 

“There’s a character called Mr. Anderson, and at one point he figures out that he’s Neo, that he’s really the one,” Jones said at the time. “I think that for Bez, he’s figured out he’s really good and he started to play that way. What you see from him this year will dwarf in comparison to next year.”

Indeed, Mbeng has taken his play to new heights this season. In addition to improved points, assists, blocks and steals per game numbers, the Maryland native earned second-team All-Ivy honors and — for the second year in a row — the Ivy League’s Defensive Player of the Year award.

Mbeng’s defensive effort, in particular, has cemented him as a player whose impact often transcends the stat sheet. Against Cornell in the Ivy League semifinals, Mbeng finished with three points but made his presence known defensively, limiting star guard Nazir Williams to just two points on 1-6 shooting while skying for several tough rebounds in key moments throughout the game. When the Big Red’s Jacob Beccles found himself open for a three in the game’s final minutes, Mbeng switched off his man, scrambled across the court and swatted the shot into the bleachers to seal the victory.

“I take huge pride in defending the other team’s best player,” Mbeng said. “It’s something that not a lot of players are willing or capable of doing, so I take a lot of pride in being different that way.”

Standing at 6’4 with quick lateral movement and closing speed, Mbeng’s athleticism and effort on defense have caused fans and teammates to grow accustomed to seeing him dive for loose balls or fly across the court for a defensive switch.

Against Cornell earlier this season, with Yale down 71–67 in the game’s waning minutes, an errant pass by forward Danny Wolf ’26 led to a fastbreak for the Big Red. But as Cornell guard Chris Manon streaked down the court for a would-be easy layup, Mbeng chased him down and dived for the ball from behind, poking it away and reclaiming possession for the Elis. The momentum shift sparked a 7–2 Bulldogs run in the game’s next minute, who took the lead and went on to win.

“He makes the game so much easier because of how hard he plays defensively,” Wolf said of Mbeng. “It’s easy for me especially when I have to guard ball screens and I don’t have to worry about going into drop coverage or switching because Bez seems to always be in front of his guy.” 

Mbeng says he gets his defensive instincts from growing up playing basketball in the DMV area, where grit and toughness are expected of every young player.

“It’s something that was instilled in me since a young age,” he said. “In a sense, I always had it, but playing basketball in that area for so many years definitely brought it out of me. After realizing that I could be good at it, I began to study a lot of players and implement their techniques into the way I play defense as well.”

When the guard committed to Yale in January 2021, he had never met Jones in person due to restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The entire recruiting process was done over Zoom.

In the 2021-2022 season, on a team where minutes for first-year players are hard to come by, Mbeng’s work ethic and strong guard play earned him a spot in the starting lineup midway through the season. He started 13 of 14 Ivy League games and earned the team’s George McReynolds award as the top defender.

“It’s special to have a guy that takes that much pride in his defense,” Jones said. “I would not want to be guarded by him.”

Even against stiff competition in No. 4 Auburn on Friday, Mbeng will likely be the best defensive player on the court. If the No. 13 Bulldogs are to come away with an upset — as they did in 2016 against No. 5 Baylor — Mbeng’s hustle and ability to shut down the opposing guard will be a key factor.

Friday’s game is set to tip-off at 4:15 p.m. Eastern Time and will be televised nationally on TNT.

BEN RAAB
Ben Raab covers faculty and academics at Yale and writes about the Yale men's basketball team. Originally from New York City, Ben is a sophomore in Pierson college pursuing a double major in history and political science.