2018-19 Orlando Magic Player Evaluations: Mohamed Bamba

The Good and the Bad

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 5/17/2019.

Mohamed Bamba was drafted as a project. So it was not surprising he had his struggles. Any rookie would. The NBA game is vastly different and every young player has their struggles adjusting to the game. It takes time to develop the skills and awareness to play at this level.

Especially for big men, it can take time to get the physicality down and to find their place. Not to mention the defense is at a higher level and a coach like coach Steve Clifford is going to demand his players contribute on that end first.

That was OK, that was what Bamba was supposed to be able to provide immediately. Jonathan Isaac made plenty of mistakes as a rookie defender, but he used his basketball IQ and length to cover for those mistakes.

That development came slowly for Bamba. He struggled at times to find his way and make a clear impact defensively. He knew how to chase blocks, but he was still learning how to find his way on the court and consistently be on the right spot. Chasing blocks sometimes takes you out of position.

He averaged 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Those numbers translate OK — 11.0 rebounds per 36 minutes and 3.0 blocks per 36 minutes. The clues of his impact are all there. Bamba was improving rebounding in space and is a real shot blocker.

But the numbers also show how much he struggled with his defensive impact. The Magic had a -15.2 net rating with Bamba on the floor, the worst of any player on the team, and a 108.3 defensive rating, the worst of any rotation player on the team.

That is not all Bamba’s fault. The Magic put him in terrible lineups usually manned by Jerian Grant as the backup point guard and with little support from the starters. His initial run also included minutes paired with Nikola Vucevic.

Bamba was also still struggling offensively. He averaged 6.2 points per game and shot 48.1 percent from the floor, including 30.0 percent from beyond the arc. Some of those shooting struggles were expected. He tended to hang on the perimeter a lot as he did not have the body to work in the paint much as a rookie.

Orlando will have to hope he can gain strength and work closer to the basket as he develops.

But the lack of defensive impact though was the most concerning. This was what he was supposed to provide immediately. He looked a bit lost defensively at times as the Magic’s backstop and he was over aggressive as a shot blocker. That is what young players do.

Before his injury, Bamba was taking some positive steps. In the eight games before his injury, while he was still playing a bit hurt after complaining of foot discomfort, Bamba kept up his season averages.

But the team had a 108.3 defensive rating (slightly better than the team’s average for that stretch) with Bamba on the floor and one of the better marks of the team. He was getting better and making a bigger impact on that end specifically before his injury shut him down.