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2018 NBA Draft Prospect Report Part 6: Mohamed Bamba

By Ricky Scricca

NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 16: Mohamed Bamba #4 of the Texas Longhorns blocks a shot by Jordan Caroline #24 of the Nevada Wolf Pack during the game in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 16, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TN - MARCH 16: Mohamed Bamba #4 of the Texas Longhorns blocks a shot by Jordan Caroline #24 of the Nevada Wolf Pack during the game in the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Bridgestone Arena on March 16, 2018 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Mohamed Bamba, Texas Longhorns, Baylor Bears
Mohamed Bamba, Texas Longhorns, Baylor Bears /

Analyzing Fit

Mohamed Bamba would be a quintessential John Hammond pick, given his proclivity towards defensive prospects with impressive wingspans. The hypothetical Jonathan Isaac and Mohamed Bamba tandem would be intimidating on the defensive end. But the offense could be dire.

For all his upside and underrated aspects, Bamba needs to be in a spaced floor with a capable halfcourt initiator to be playable offensively. He is too raw as a shooter, ball handler and self-creator to find success any other way.

The same can be said to a lesser extent about Jonathan Isaac, who is clearly the better shooter and more adept ball handler but is nonetheless also very raw offensively and will not provide a meaningful amount of spacing or playmaking.

Aaron Gordon is an effective play finisher and has made strides as a passer. But he is still a very poor decision maker and regressed shooter that also needs more spacing and a good offensive initiator to thrive. Seeing a pattern?

Unless you believe at least two of those three can shoot well enough to draw defenders and make shots consistently, it is difficult to envision a team built around that frontcourt being able to score at a remotely efficient clip. That is even if both guard positions are filled with high-level shooters and scorers. The lack of spacing and high-level playmaking from more than one position creates an environment that damages the scoring efficacy of everyone involved.

The fit also depends on your belief in Bamba’s defensive mobility.

While he has looked really bad defending in space in certain situations — closeouts and changing directions forwards to backwards chief among them — he has also looked great sliding laterally, using his length to reduce recovery and rotation distances and flipping his hips.

If he can improve on some of those warts, the Orlando Magic could be in possession of the league’s most fearsome switching frontcourt, racking up deflections, blocks and steals in the process.

But if Bamba is unable to improve those movement skill deficiencies or at least compensate for them with motor, his defensive impact will not be translatable enough to offset the opportunity cost of once again not taking an elite initiator prospect that can shoot off the bounce.

That role has become a glaring need for this franchise. Without filling it in this draft, the team’s defense would have to be historically good over the next few years to make up for what would be a very ugly offense.

The bottom line is that drafting Bamba would be once again betting on a raw offensive prospect with high defensive upside.

Next: Ricky's NBA Draft Big Board

There is merit to doubling down on length and defense. But if the goal is to build a well-rounded team? It is hard to argue Mohamed Bamba would be the best option if initiators like Luka Doncic and Trae Young or two-way floor spacers like Jaren Jackson Jr. and Mikal Bridges are still available.