2018 NBA Draft Prospect Report Part 6: Mohamed Bamba

Defensive Strengths

Mohamed Bamba’s strengths on the defensive end are fairly obvious. His length drastically decreases the distance he needs to cover on trap-the-box rotations. This allows him to recover back more easily as well. It also makes it easier for him to recover when he bites on pump fakes. His defensive efficacy when defending within or around the painted area is off the charts.

Above is a textbook example of how easy it is for him to make this essential rotation for an NBA center.

Lagerald Vick drives the lane and Mohamed Bamba blocks his shot without even setting his feet on the right side of the restricted area. The shot was somewhat telegraphed, allowing him to load up a little more than usual. But that is another benefit of his ridiculous frame. Opponents simply do not see him coming because some of these blocks are impossible for most players.

His ability to block shots that far away from the release point also makes it easier for him to avoid fouling. His blocks to fouls ratio is elite at 1.4. When in position, he can completely drape himself over the restricted area.

On this play, he steps to the front to defend the initial drive, makes a short recovery to the receiver of the dropoff pass and uses his standing reach to smother a shot attempt without leaving the ground more than a few inches.

He naturally does not bite on too many pump fakes partially due to solid instincts and partially due to the fact he knows his quickness reaching above the rim affords him the ability to be patient.

His defensive impact is most pronounced around the hoop.

Per Will Schreefer’s NCAA play-by-play data, opponents shoot short two-pointers at a lower rate and lower percentage with him on the court versus off. Among the current top 23 big man prospects, he ranks in the 80th percentile in reducing opponent shot attempts near the rim but is in just the 55th percentile on impacting the field goal percentage of those shots.

He is a flawed perimeter defender, but his effectiveness belies his lack of high-level quick-twitch mobility. For many players, his length alone makes him impossible to score on.

Here you can see some of his awkwardness changing directions quickly, but his frame covers so much airspace it does not matter.

With a deeper 3-point line, more space and thus farther driving distances, his wingspan will not be enough by itself to make him an effective switch defender. But he can at least be a strong deterrent containing drives when he can sit down in a stance.

Bamba can slide his feet pretty well on the perimeter when defending drives from guards without much shake.

To draw on the popular, albeit hyperbolic, Rudy Gobert comparison, Gobert moves his feet faster, which helps him to cover longer distances and change directions more quickly. But Bamba has a lower center of gravity and more wingspan, which helps him contain smaller players moving laterally.

On this play he shows excellent agility, flipping his hips like a lockdown wing defender before sliding laterally to smother the initial drive.

He slightly bites on a ball fake, but only one foot leaves the ground so he is able to stay with his man. The second effort after the miss is lacking and ideally one would like to see him be more aggressive preventing the second shot attempt.

Unfortunately, the play ends with him getting bumped behind the rim and a second-chance opportunity, which brings us to his defensive weaknesses.