2018 NBA Draft - Brew Hoop Community Draft: Mo Bamba Number Five

There was intrigue between Marvin Bagley, Mohamed Bamba, and Jaren Jackson Jr. on which big man would be chosen when for the community draft. After Bagley went third and Triple J went fourth, Bamba won the fifth community vote in a landslide. The 6’11” center from Texas completed one year but was able to be part of a team that made the NCAA tournament and averaged 12.9 points along with 10.4 rebounds. Bamba is one of the most intriguing prospects in the draft based off of his physical numbers and potential role in the league.

Mohamed Bamba is Jon Horst’s wet dream for #BucksDNA. Bamba has all the length in the world with a recorded 7’9” wingspan. Yes, you are reading that correctly 7’9”, practically enough to cover from Milwaukee to Appleton. Bamba is more than just wingspan though, he also has agility running a ³⁄₄ court sprint drill in 3.04 seconds which is better than some quicksters like John Wall and Russell Westbrook. Bamba is able to use length and agility to be a dominating rim protector as he averaged 3.6 blocks per game (4.7 per 40). While defense will be Bamba’s calling card, he does have offensive skills to compliment his athleticism. Bamba is a strong rim roller and able to finish with both hands around the rim and can be an elite rebounder. Recently we have seen workout videos of Bamba shooting threes with a solid stroke. If the jumpshot translates at all, it could make Bamba the ideal NBA center.

While Bamba has the length to do whatever he likes, there are notable concerns for his game. While it was mentioned that he has an impressive looking shooting stroke, Bamba didn’t display that during his one year at Texas. He only shot 28% from three and 68% from the free throw line, which isn’t super promising for translating to the big leagues. Bamba also doesn’t have much of an offensive game in terms of post moves, which could be attributed to his lack of lower body strength. There also isn’t much in terms of what he can do with the ball which will be something to watch moving forward.

Mohamed Bamba has the potential to be the best player from this draft in a few years if he pans out. The length and shot blocking ability is already there, and he can rebound at a high level. If he can develop a shooting touch, he will be a tier or two below Joel Embiid or Karl Anthony Towns in terms of young centers in the game. He has the motor and agility to cover the majority of the court and that length will be very impactful in the right defensive scheme. There will be questions on if that shooting will translate into anything, along with how comfortable he feels with the ball in his hands. At the very least, Bamba should be a defensive anchor for teams in the future.

Brew Hoop Community Draft Board Rankings

1. Deandre Ayton - C, Arizona (The Stepien Profile)

2. Luka Doncic - PG, Real Madrid (The Stepien Profile)

3. Marvin Bagley III - C, Duke (The Stepien Profile)

4. Jaren Jackson Jr. - PF/C, Michigan State (The Stepien Profile)

5. Mohamed Bamba - PF/C Texas (The Stepien Profile)