miltk wrote:i never really watched bamba, but what's his offense like,,,or are we talking another noel.
the game is all about offense. multi-skilled, multi-positional
defense is just a niche and i wouldn't spend a top5 on defense unless it's to plug a hole, adn the teams drafting at the bottom need offense before they can think about defense
Bamba's offensive potential has been underrated. Some of his potential depends on where he goes and what he's surrounded by. He has already significantly improved his jump shot in just the 3 months since the end of the NCAA Tournament. His inside game is going to improve as he matures into his body. His problems in the post offensively and defensively were mainly due to strength disparities. He started the season with Texas at about 215-218 pounds. At close to 7' tall that is thin, without a strong core and lower body strength. His frame will easily carry 240 pounds. Frame-wise he is built like Kevin Garnett who played the majority of his peak years at 240 pounds. Bamba is a worker. He is coachable. But you can't teach a 9' 7.5" standing reach or a 7' -10' wingspan. He is a strong rebounder who is only going to improve as he bulks up with diet, weight training and maturity. He is wiry strong already.
Just from put backs and occasional alley-oops he'll average 10 point a game right off the bat. 12-15 rebounds a game are not out of the question. By year 3 I see him playing at around 240 pounds, averaging close to 20 points a game and 15 rebounds, 4 blocks, and being the Defensive player of the year. But he can't go into a situation where he is expected to lead the team in scoring. I see him as more of a 4th option offensively. A lot of his scoring is going to come from put backs, not plays run specifically for him. If he gets the green light to shoot from the arc he could become a 35% shooter from deep, just enough to make teams guard him out there. That can create good spacing for offensive wings. None of the other bigs in the draft can cover the ground Bamba can. He can go from the hoop to the arc in 2 strides. He is cat like quick and can defend in space. He can switch and cover up mistakes by teammates by blocking from behind from the weak side. His potential is as enormous as his length. His best attribute is his ability to block and alter shots without being foul prone. I would really like to see this kid in a Bull's uniform opposite Markannen.