Mo Bamba
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Weaknesses & Concerns:
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Profile:
Strengths:
Physical Tools + Athleticism
Mohamed Bamba is one of the most unique players in this class. With ‘unicorn’ potential, he measured in at 7’0.75” and 225.6 pounds. The craziest thing about him is his 9’7.5” standing reach and his 7’10” wingspan. These measurements are through the roof, as he was the 2nd tallest player who participated at the NBA Combine and ranked 1st in both wingspan and standing reach. The most common comparison for Bamba is Rudy Gobert. When Gobert was at the NBA Combine, he measured in at 7’2” and 237.6 pounds. His standing reach was 9’7” and his wingspan was 7’8.5”. Another guy who had similar measurements to Bamba was Hassan Whiteside, who measured in at 6’11.5” and 227 pounds. Both Whiteside and Gobert have been able to protect the rims for their teams, so you can expect Bamba to do the same. He didn’t participate in the strength and agility portion at the NBA Combine so there aren’t any official measurements of his vertical. Bamba isn’t someone who will jump out the gym or use his speed to get by you, but he’s very mobile for a guy his size. With his length, he has the potential to be one of the best rim-runners in the NBA.
Shot Blocking/Rim Protection
Bamba is one of the best rim protectors in this incoming class. At 3.7 blocks per game, he ranked 2nd in the nation ahead of guys like Sagaba Konate (3.3 blocks per game) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (3.2 blocks per game). His ability to protect the rim with his wingspan and standing reach in unreal. Bamba is different than other guys with length because of his defensive instincts and awareness on the defensive end. He’s capable of blocking shots with both of his hands, but it seems like he favors his left hand more. Even if he doesn’t block every shot, his length will force opposing players to alter their shots, ultimately forcing them to take shots they aren’t comfortable taking. This should lead to a lot of misses and might allow Bamba’s team to get out and run in transition.
Rebounding
Looking at the numbers, Bamba was one of the better rebounders in college basketball. He brought down 10.5 rebounds per game, which was good enough to rank him 12th in the nation. He had a total rebounding percentage of 20.2%, which would also rank him 12th in the nation. Some of the other NBA prospects that ranked below Bamba in the top 20 are Brandon McCoy (19.5%), and Robert Williams (18.9%). Bamba showed that he was a force on the offensive glass with putbacks in college. He scored 1.338 PPP on offensive rebounds or putbacks on 57 FGAs, which ranked him in the 85th percentile. While Bamba was considered one of the best rebounders in college basketball, it isn’t a guarantee that his elite rebounding will translate in the NBA like Ayton’s should. Bamba relied on his length way too much and rarely boxed out for rebounds. Even though he will be one of the longest players in the NBA, he’s going to have to learn to box out and fight for position. He doesn’t have the best lower body strength to hold off his opponents on the glass.
Age + Offensive Upside
Bamba has one of the highest, if not the highest, ceilings in this class. He just turned 20 years old last month, so he still has plenty of time to work on polishing his offensive skill-set. If he is able to add to his offensive game and polish it, he could very well be the best player coming out of this draft. Something to pay close attention to is that he has been working out with Drew Hanlen this summer. Hanlen is one of the better offensive skills trainers in the NBA. Some of Hanlen’s clients include: Joel Embiid, Bradley Beal, Jayson Tatum, and more. Hanlen is known for helping Tatum improve his shot mechanics last summer before his breakout rookie season, where he went on to be one of the best rookies of last years’ class. Hanlen has been working on improving Bamba’s shot mechanics and from the videos that have been released, the shot looks a lot smoother. Bamba didn’t shoot the ball particularly well in his lone season as Texas, but he definitely has the potential to develop into a stretch-5 in the league. Bamba has said that he’s been taking notes from Joel Embiid, which is also a great sign. If Bamba is able to improve his shot and get the footwork and post-game of Joel Embiid, there isn’t a ceiling for him.
Intangibles
Bamba has been putting in a ton of work this offseason. It has been reported that he’s been working out two times a day with Drew Hanlen and it seems like he has a great work ethic. Bamba also carries himself very well. He might be one of the most well-spoken guys in this class and watching him in interviews is mesmerizing. He definitely seems determined to be the best player he can be.
Weaknesses & Concerns:
Strength
One of Bamba’s concerns is his strength. His lower body isn’t strong at all, which hurts him when fighting for position. There will be times where he is pushed under the rim if he isn’t boxing someone out properly. There will also be times when a big is trying to get deep positioning in the post and he isn’t able to hold his ground against them. How is he going to be able to guard someone like Demarcus Cousins, Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, or even fellow prospect, Deandre Ayton? If these guys take advantage of Bamba’s weaker lower body, they’ll get outstanding position in the post and use their skills to score on Bamba. When defending post-ups, Bamba allowed 0.831 PPP on 61 possessions. 0.831 PPP was enough to rank Bamba in the 50th percentile. While this is about average, he will be going up against much better competition in the NBA, like the players mentioned above. Bamba’s length, shot blocking instincts, and ability to guard perimeters players guarantees that he’s a positive on the defensive end, but adding strength should help him reach his ceiling on the defensive end. In addition to adding strength to help out on the defensive end, he can also use the added strength on the offensive end. It will allow him to get better positioning in the post and finish through contact.
Shooting
As mentioned earlier, Bamba has been working on his shot with NBA trainer, Drew Hanlen. They have been working on changing his shooting mechanics a bit during this offseason. Several videos have been released with his new mechanics and his form looks a lot better than what we saw from him at the University of Texas. At Texas, Bamba shot 27.5% from 3 on 1.7 attempts per game. Those numbers aren’t impressive but he definitely showed some flashes throughout the season. If Bamba is able to get a respectable 3 from NBA distance, he’ll be a nice grab for whichever team picks him.
Pick & Roll Offense
A concern with Bamba is his P&R offense. He didn’t show that he was capable of setting nice screens which makes it tough for his teammates and himself to get an open look. In 44 possessions as the role man, he scored 0.773 PPP, which would rank him in the 20th percentile. This is definitely something that Bamba needs to work on if he wants to succeed in the NBA. Something to keep in mind is that the floor was normally really crowded on offense because Bamba was normally playing next to another big. Because of this, Bamba should be able to benefit from the spacing in the NBA.
Passing
While some may not think Bamba will be required to be a top-level passer, he definitely didn’t show any signs of becoming an average passer. He only totaled 15 assists while having 46 turnovers throughout the season and wasn’t able to find the open man, whether his teammates were cutting or open for 3. Bamba doesn’t need to be an elite passer, but he’s going to need to improve his passing game from the post and out of pick-and-rolls. If Bamba eventually develops a dominant post game, he will be shut down every time if he isn’t able to pass out of the double team. He also needs to be able to make quick, sharp decisions when rolling in P&R situations. If the defense steps over to stop his roll to the basket, he needs to be able to kick it out to the corner. Overall, Bamba needs to develop a better passing game if he wants to become a threat on the offensive end.
NBA Fit:
Position: 5
Role: Defensive anchor with possibility of being a stretch-5
Ideal team fit: Spaced floor + established offensive weapons + high level guard play
Draft Range:
As mentioned earlier, Bamba has one of the highest ceilings in this class. There is definitely a chance that he ends up the best player in this draft class, but there is also a scenario where he ends up being a player who doesn’t have a long and impactful career. Taking everything into account, it is very hard to pass on someone with a ceiling like Bamba’s. It is unlikely that Bamba will fall past the 8th pick in this draft. Having said that, it might be risky for a team to reach for him at the 3rd pick as well. Overall, Bamba is one of the more confusing, but very intriguing, prospects in this draft class.
Projected Draft Range: 3-8
- 20 year old, 7’0.75” big from the University of Texas
- 9’7.5” standing reach and 7’10” wingspan
- 5 star recruit and #4 on the ESPN 100 coming out of High School
Strengths:
Physical Tools + Athleticism
Mohamed Bamba is one of the most unique players in this class. With ‘unicorn’ potential, he measured in at 7’0.75” and 225.6 pounds. The craziest thing about him is his 9’7.5” standing reach and his 7’10” wingspan. These measurements are through the roof, as he was the 2nd tallest player who participated at the NBA Combine and ranked 1st in both wingspan and standing reach. The most common comparison for Bamba is Rudy Gobert. When Gobert was at the NBA Combine, he measured in at 7’2” and 237.6 pounds. His standing reach was 9’7” and his wingspan was 7’8.5”. Another guy who had similar measurements to Bamba was Hassan Whiteside, who measured in at 6’11.5” and 227 pounds. Both Whiteside and Gobert have been able to protect the rims for their teams, so you can expect Bamba to do the same. He didn’t participate in the strength and agility portion at the NBA Combine so there aren’t any official measurements of his vertical. Bamba isn’t someone who will jump out the gym or use his speed to get by you, but he’s very mobile for a guy his size. With his length, he has the potential to be one of the best rim-runners in the NBA.
Shot Blocking/Rim Protection
Bamba is one of the best rim protectors in this incoming class. At 3.7 blocks per game, he ranked 2nd in the nation ahead of guys like Sagaba Konate (3.3 blocks per game) and Jaren Jackson Jr. (3.2 blocks per game). His ability to protect the rim with his wingspan and standing reach in unreal. Bamba is different than other guys with length because of his defensive instincts and awareness on the defensive end. He’s capable of blocking shots with both of his hands, but it seems like he favors his left hand more. Even if he doesn’t block every shot, his length will force opposing players to alter their shots, ultimately forcing them to take shots they aren’t comfortable taking. This should lead to a lot of misses and might allow Bamba’s team to get out and run in transition.
Rebounding
Looking at the numbers, Bamba was one of the better rebounders in college basketball. He brought down 10.5 rebounds per game, which was good enough to rank him 12th in the nation. He had a total rebounding percentage of 20.2%, which would also rank him 12th in the nation. Some of the other NBA prospects that ranked below Bamba in the top 20 are Brandon McCoy (19.5%), and Robert Williams (18.9%). Bamba showed that he was a force on the offensive glass with putbacks in college. He scored 1.338 PPP on offensive rebounds or putbacks on 57 FGAs, which ranked him in the 85th percentile. While Bamba was considered one of the best rebounders in college basketball, it isn’t a guarantee that his elite rebounding will translate in the NBA like Ayton’s should. Bamba relied on his length way too much and rarely boxed out for rebounds. Even though he will be one of the longest players in the NBA, he’s going to have to learn to box out and fight for position. He doesn’t have the best lower body strength to hold off his opponents on the glass.
Age + Offensive Upside
Bamba has one of the highest, if not the highest, ceilings in this class. He just turned 20 years old last month, so he still has plenty of time to work on polishing his offensive skill-set. If he is able to add to his offensive game and polish it, he could very well be the best player coming out of this draft. Something to pay close attention to is that he has been working out with Drew Hanlen this summer. Hanlen is one of the better offensive skills trainers in the NBA. Some of Hanlen’s clients include: Joel Embiid, Bradley Beal, Jayson Tatum, and more. Hanlen is known for helping Tatum improve his shot mechanics last summer before his breakout rookie season, where he went on to be one of the best rookies of last years’ class. Hanlen has been working on improving Bamba’s shot mechanics and from the videos that have been released, the shot looks a lot smoother. Bamba didn’t shoot the ball particularly well in his lone season as Texas, but he definitely has the potential to develop into a stretch-5 in the league. Bamba has said that he’s been taking notes from Joel Embiid, which is also a great sign. If Bamba is able to improve his shot and get the footwork and post-game of Joel Embiid, there isn’t a ceiling for him.
Intangibles
Bamba has been putting in a ton of work this offseason. It has been reported that he’s been working out two times a day with Drew Hanlen and it seems like he has a great work ethic. Bamba also carries himself very well. He might be one of the most well-spoken guys in this class and watching him in interviews is mesmerizing. He definitely seems determined to be the best player he can be.
Weaknesses & Concerns:
Strength
One of Bamba’s concerns is his strength. His lower body isn’t strong at all, which hurts him when fighting for position. There will be times where he is pushed under the rim if he isn’t boxing someone out properly. There will also be times when a big is trying to get deep positioning in the post and he isn’t able to hold his ground against them. How is he going to be able to guard someone like Demarcus Cousins, Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, or even fellow prospect, Deandre Ayton? If these guys take advantage of Bamba’s weaker lower body, they’ll get outstanding position in the post and use their skills to score on Bamba. When defending post-ups, Bamba allowed 0.831 PPP on 61 possessions. 0.831 PPP was enough to rank Bamba in the 50th percentile. While this is about average, he will be going up against much better competition in the NBA, like the players mentioned above. Bamba’s length, shot blocking instincts, and ability to guard perimeters players guarantees that he’s a positive on the defensive end, but adding strength should help him reach his ceiling on the defensive end. In addition to adding strength to help out on the defensive end, he can also use the added strength on the offensive end. It will allow him to get better positioning in the post and finish through contact.
Shooting
As mentioned earlier, Bamba has been working on his shot with NBA trainer, Drew Hanlen. They have been working on changing his shooting mechanics a bit during this offseason. Several videos have been released with his new mechanics and his form looks a lot better than what we saw from him at the University of Texas. At Texas, Bamba shot 27.5% from 3 on 1.7 attempts per game. Those numbers aren’t impressive but he definitely showed some flashes throughout the season. If Bamba is able to get a respectable 3 from NBA distance, he’ll be a nice grab for whichever team picks him.
Pick & Roll Offense
A concern with Bamba is his P&R offense. He didn’t show that he was capable of setting nice screens which makes it tough for his teammates and himself to get an open look. In 44 possessions as the role man, he scored 0.773 PPP, which would rank him in the 20th percentile. This is definitely something that Bamba needs to work on if he wants to succeed in the NBA. Something to keep in mind is that the floor was normally really crowded on offense because Bamba was normally playing next to another big. Because of this, Bamba should be able to benefit from the spacing in the NBA.
Passing
While some may not think Bamba will be required to be a top-level passer, he definitely didn’t show any signs of becoming an average passer. He only totaled 15 assists while having 46 turnovers throughout the season and wasn’t able to find the open man, whether his teammates were cutting or open for 3. Bamba doesn’t need to be an elite passer, but he’s going to need to improve his passing game from the post and out of pick-and-rolls. If Bamba eventually develops a dominant post game, he will be shut down every time if he isn’t able to pass out of the double team. He also needs to be able to make quick, sharp decisions when rolling in P&R situations. If the defense steps over to stop his roll to the basket, he needs to be able to kick it out to the corner. Overall, Bamba needs to develop a better passing game if he wants to become a threat on the offensive end.
NBA Fit:
Position: 5
Role: Defensive anchor with possibility of being a stretch-5
Ideal team fit: Spaced floor + established offensive weapons + high level guard play
Draft Range:
As mentioned earlier, Bamba has one of the highest ceilings in this class. There is definitely a chance that he ends up the best player in this draft class, but there is also a scenario where he ends up being a player who doesn’t have a long and impactful career. Taking everything into account, it is very hard to pass on someone with a ceiling like Bamba’s. It is unlikely that Bamba will fall past the 8th pick in this draft. Having said that, it might be risky for a team to reach for him at the 3rd pick as well. Overall, Bamba is one of the more confusing, but very intriguing, prospects in this draft class.
Projected Draft Range: 3-8
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Extra Notes
In an interview at the NBA Draft Combine, Mo Bamba was asked about what he’s been focusing on as he heads into the draft. Bamba answered that there are many things, which is why he’s unique but the three things he’s been mainly focusing on is his jump-shot and shooting mechanics, his mid-post game, and his low-post game. |
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