Odinga Mdingi was introduced to wheelchair basketball in 1997 in the Eastern Cape Province, at the age of 14 years. This was when the athlete was injured in a fire incident and was amputated on the left leg above the knee. The journey of playing wheelchair basketball started, and the formation of an athlete began.

He developed into a formidable high pointer playing first in the Eastern Cape, participating at the junior level. He was soon selected into their provincial team and assisted them winning silver in 1999 at the National Championships. When moving to Gauteng he joined the Mandeville Basketball Club, which he assisted to become Super Sports Champions in 2015 as Discovery Eagles. He then joined the GBT Mongoose Club in 2018 to become one of their key players, bringing long needed height to the team.  Odinga is a good team player, whose experience and understanding of the game, tenacity and fighting spirit are motivational and effective on the court. He also has patience with younger players and likes to teach them the tricks of the trade.