NBA Draft 2018: Mo Bamba is a prospect that was made for the modern NBA game
In life, no matter how successful we become we never get a chance to play god.
Fortunately, the draft provides NBA fans with the opportunity to do just that. The weeks leading to the draft are ripe with bold predictions, some half-baked and others more thought out, about the NBA future of all prospects.
Scouts and fans alike feel powerful, as they pass judgement on future NBA player. While guessing an NBA players career is a fool’s errand, we all line up weeks before the draft to pour over countless mocks.
After that colorful preamble, it may come as a shock that the opinions shared in the upcoming paragraphs are no different.
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Much has been made about potential number one overall pick DeAndre Ayton. Scouts have salivated over his NBA ready body, jump shooting mechanics, and overall offensive polish.
However, not enough light has been shown onto his defense. At times last season Ayton looked flat out uninterested in playing any sort of defense. A trend that followed him all the way to his march madness first round exit. For all his gifts, Ayton posted a mediocre number of blocked shots and seemed to lack a solid understanding of defensive positions. While some of the defensive slippage can be attributed to lack of interest, its difficult to see him suddenly correcting all his issues at the next level.
As we’ve seen from the Kevin Loves, Jabari Parker, and C.J. McCollum’s of the world having a smooth offensive game alone can only carry you so far. In the playoffs, teams attack weak defenders until opposing coaches are forced to take the players off the floor. If the coach opts against it, he automatically caps the ceiling of his team, a complete nonstarter in contested playoff matchups.
Teams need a player who is mobile, of long frame, and of long wingspan. Any offensive skills on top of that, is a cherry on top of an already delicious sundae. If said player, hypothetically, had smooth jumper mechanics and had already expressed a proclivity for the long ball it would be hard to believe he didn’t fall out of the sky. What if there was a player who fit this bill perfectly? A player who had a measured wingspan of 7-foot-10 and faster ¾th sprint times than athletic marvel Russell Westbrook.
Who answers this call?
Who you gonna call?
(Cue mission impossible theme music)
The name is Bamba, Mo Bamba.
Mixed spy mythology aside, Mo Bamba is a perfect fit for the modern NBA game. While raw, Bamba has a host of intangibles which should translate instantly to the next level on both sides of the ball. Like many NBA hopefuls, Bamba needs to put weight on his frame if he hopes to fight among the trees in the pros. However, if placed in the right situation, any team would be lucky to watch this young man grow into an absolute force.
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To bring one more outdated mythology into play. When the hoops world needs another hero, who you gonna call?
Mo Bamba