Getting To Know Mo Bamba

Like my esteemed colleague, David Wood, I’m not one to watch much college basketball. What some consider to be the extra hustle of amateurs, I see as a lack of offensive skill, particularly in terms of long-range shooting. The NBA Draft also hasn’t been particularly relevant to the Cleveland Cavaliers over the last four years. However, since I love basketball, and don’t live in a cave, I had heard of Texas center Mohamed Bamba. I caught a few of Bamba’s games at the end of the season, and have followed him through the draft process. Besides that, the miracle that is the internet has allowed me to watch a ton of game film on the man who will soon have the largest wingspan in the NBA. Despite the research, I still can’t say for sure who Mo Bamba is, other than he is one of the most enigmatic players in this draft.

In The Raw

One of the biggest concerns teams seem to have about many players before the draft is what position they will play at the NBA level. With Mo Bamba there is no doubt. The man is a center. At over 7’0″ tall with a 7’10” wingspan (the longest in the history of the draft combine), Bamba has an amazing 9’7.5″ standing reach. During his one year at Texas, Bamba averaged 12.9 points to go along with 10.5 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game. His blocks percentage of 13.1% ranked third in the NCAA, and he also ranked seventh in Defensive Box Plus/Minus.

Bamba’s size and ability to protect the rim have drawn comparisons to All-NBA defenders Rudy Gobert and DeAndre Jordan, as well as Hassan Whiteside, but his relative light weight (225 pounds) for a man of his height reminds some of Dallas Mavericks center Nerlens Noel. DraftExpress has done a great job of breaking Bamba down for ESPN.

Strengths

Bamba projects as an elite rim protector and lob catcher, but have a bit more offensive upside than that. As we said, Bamba averaged 3.7 blocks per game as a freshman at Texas, but there’s much more to his defense than that. Bamba isn’t a Whiteside/Javale McGee type who sells out all other aspects of defense just to get a block. He’s extremely agile for a big man, and moves his feet well on switches. This allows him to guard the perimeter effectively, a terrific trait for the modern big man.

Bamba’s rim protection is based almost as much on his terrific sense of timing and space as it is on his elite length. He does an excellent job of recovering to the rim after helping having to switch defenders, and has the ability to block shots with either hand. He also does a great job of using his length and agility to dominate the glass, and his 7.3 defensive rebounds per game are another big reason why Bamba lead the Big 12 in Defensive Rating.

Bamba’s agility for his size allow him to be a threat on offense as well. He runs extremely well in transition, and finished 60.3% of his two-point attempts, including a whopping 74% at the rim in half court situations. Bamba’s quickness and size make him a constant threat when rolling to the rim, and he even has the ability to attack in a straight line off the dribble. Bamba has even shown some potential as a stretch five. He has terrific feet, and has shown the ability to knock down jumpers from the post, mid-range, and even the college three point line. His shooting form wasn’t great, and sort of resembled a slingshot in terms of how he would bring the ball behind his head before his release, but he has spent the summer working with well-known player development specialist Drew Hanlen. Hanlen is known for his work with players such as Jayson Tatum, Joel Embiid, and Bradley Beal, and he has allegedly been able to help Bamba make tremendous adjustments to his form and release. Whether those changes have a significant impact for Bamba on the court remains to be seen.

Weaknesses

Bamba’s weaknesses come down to two things, his lack of weight and inconsistent motor. At just 225 pounds with a notable lack of lower body strength/weight. Bamba is easily moved off of his spots on either side of the court. Despite his terrific length, it is relatively easy to bully him in the post, and he can pushed around down low when he’s on offense. Bamba’s lack of weight also has a negative impact on the quality of his screens as opposing players can just bulldoze through him. Making matters worse is that Bamba is a poor passer, having averaged just 0.5 assists compared to 1.5 turnovers per game in college.

In terms of motor, Bamba regularly takes plays off at both ends of the court. It’s not uncommon to see him float on the perimeter, settling for jumpers rather than going to his strengths of attacking the rim on drives and rolls. While he has some potential as a stretch five, it’s mostly theoretical at this point, as Bamba shot just 27.5% from deep this season. Despite his potential to be an elite defender, Bamba doesn’t like playing through contact, and can often be found jogging up the court behind the opposing ball handler. For a player of Bamba’s quickness, this is simply unacceptable. Until he gets stronger, Bamba’s biggest advantages on the court are his length and quickness. If he doesn’t use those traits, then he becomes a liability.

Fit With The Cavs

Because of his enormous physical gifts combined with a perceived lack of motor and toughness, Bamba has as much boom-or-bust potential as any player in this draft. While he will never be the go-to scorer that the Cavaliers will need if LeBron James leaves, this team is in desperate need of rim protection regardless of what the King decides. Elite rim protectors can mask so many defensive mistakes, and after ranking 29th in defensive efficiency during the regular season, the Cavs need all the help they can get on that end of the floor. Bamba’s quickness and shooting potential also show that he has the possibility of being the kind of NBA big man that can both function in an elite offense and survived defensively when opposing teams go small. Still, it’s easier to fix a player’s technique than it is to give them heart and effort, and the concerns over Bamba in that area cannot be dismissed. Plenty of talented players have washed out of the league simply because they didn’t want it enough. Still, if Bamba falls to eight and the Cavaliers liked what they’ve seen on tape and heard from him at the NBA Combine, then Mo Bamba would be a solid pick for this team.