Mohamed Bamba

[CP War Hawks]

Ayton is nearly as physically gifted as Shaq was in college. He's nearly a finished prospect.

Bamba was a stick during the aau circuit. He's getting thicker but it's a process. Once he fills out to his optimal size, there won't be a comparison.

[GimmeDat]

It all depends on whether he can go to a well-run organization or not. If he’s able to get picked up by the Mavs or the Hawks, he probably can reach his ceiling. If he lands in Sacramento, Memphis, Orlando, or Chicago, he’s less likely to be successful. Givony recently said in a podcast with Leroux that he usually changes the big board after the draft knowing where these prospects went, since some organizations are terrible at developing young players.

What's wrong with Memphis or Chicago?

My bad, only Memphis.

I think both are really well run organizations. The Kings are the only really dysfunctional organization out of the bunch.

[yoyoboy]

Ayton is nearly as physically gifted as Shaq was in college. He's nearly a finished prospect.

Bamba was a stick during the aau circuit. He's getting thicker but it's a process. Once he fills out to his optimal size, there won't be a comparison.

No he's not. I'm a big fan of Ayton, but in terms of physical profile he's no Shaq...

Watch on YouTube

[VCfor3]

Memphis isn't exactly well run. We just got lucky with Gasol, Z Bo, and Conley and have tried to ride them out.

[MemphisX]

Ayton is nearly as physically gifted as Shaq was in college. He's nearly a finished prospect.

Bamba was a stick during the aau circuit. He's getting thicker but it's a process. Once he fills out to his optimal size, there won't be a comparison.

No he's not. I'm a big fan of Ayton, but in terms of physical profile he's no Shaq...

Watch on YouTube

Yeah, he has the size but not the total Shaq package with coordination and explosion.

[CP War Hawks]

Ayton is nearly as physically gifted as Shaq was in college. He's nearly a finished prospect.

Bamba was a stick during the aau circuit. He's getting thicker but it's a process. Once he fills out to his optimal size, there won't be a comparison.

No he's not. I'm a big fan of Ayton, but in terms of physical profile he's no Shaq...

Watch on YouTube

Yeah, he has the size but not the total Shaq package with coordination and explosion.

The size, length, aa, is up their with LSU Shaq. The polish and styles between the two is different. The quickness of Shaq was exceptional. Teams seem to want Ayton to have the ability to shoot. If he concentrated being strictly a post player, he would be just about the closest thing to Shaq.

What is the current weight of Ayton right now. What's the biggest weight can he maintain in the league before it gets detrimental, ie Cousins.

[Ruzious]

Not gonna say that Bamba is trash but he is such a major project, I am much more comfortable slotting him at the same range that I'd have guys like Robinson than having him top10

Certainly lower than tier 3 for me, and outside of the top15

Couldn't disagree more. He is going to shine in the NBA & will be the Giannis of this draft along with Lonnie Walker. Sky is the limit for those two, they're going to break out on the big stage eventually. Teams are going to regret passing them up, mark my words.

Just out of interest, why do you think Giannis and Bamba are comparable? Do you think that's the type of player Bamba may eventually turn into? What's the connection because honestly I find that absurd, and for this forum that is saying something.

What was your view of Giannis when he was drafted?

[PLO]

Couldn't disagree more. He is going to shine in the NBA & will be the Giannis of this draft along with Lonnie Walker. Sky is the limit for those two, they're going to break out on the big stage eventually. Teams are going to regret passing them up, mark my words.

Just out of interest, why do you think Giannis and Bamba are comparable? Do you think that's the type of player Bamba may eventually turn into? What's the connection because honestly I find that absurd, and for this forum that is saying something.

What was your view of Giannis when he was drafted?

I thought he was a major project - and my view was formed mostly after he was drafted in his first batch of NBA games given he was basically unknown to most of us.

Bamba is much more of a known quantity given we've seen him in a lot of games now. They're two completely different players - Giannis was already known for bringing the ball up the floor pre-NBA and he already had a face-up game and this is at the age of 18. One thing they have in common is 18 year old Giannis and 19 year old Bamba need/ed to get a lot stronger, and Bamba's case a lot lot stronger given he'll be matching up against the Howard/Embiid/Drummonds etc night in and night out in the NBA.

[Ruzious]

Just out of interest, why do you think Giannis and Bamba are comparable? Do you think that's the type of player Bamba may eventually turn into? What's the connection because honestly I find that absurd, and for this forum that is saying something.

What was your view of Giannis when he was drafted?

I thought he was a major project - and my view was formed mostly after he was drafted in his first batch of NBA games given he was basically unknown to most of us.

Bamba is much more of a known quantity given we've seen him in a lot of games now. They're two completely different players - Giannis was already known for bringing the ball up the floor pre-NBA and he already had a face-up game and this is at the age of 18. One thing they have in common is 18 year old Giannis and 19 year old Bamba need/ed to get a lot stronger, and Bamba's case a lot lot stronger given he'll be matching up against the Howard/Embiid/Drummonds etc night in and night out in the NBA.

I can't see strength being a negative issue for Bomba in a couple of years. Giannis at Bamba's age was skinnier and weaker. Bomba's got a great frame to play center in the NBA. It's how his offensive game develops that's the issue.

[clyde21]

Just out of interest, why do you think Giannis and Bamba are comparable? Do you think that's the type of player Bamba may eventually turn into? What's the connection because honestly I find that absurd, and for this forum that is saying something.

What was your view of Giannis when he was drafted?

I thought he was a major project - and my view was formed mostly after he was drafted in his first batch of NBA games given he was basically unknown to most of us.

Bamba is much more of a known quantity given we've seen him in a lot of games now. They're two completely different players - Giannis was already known for bringing the ball up the floor pre-NBA and he already had a face-up game and this is at the age of 18. One thing they have in common is 18 year old Giannis and 19 year old Bamba need/ed to get a lot stronger, and Bamba's case a lot lot stronger given he'll be matching up against the Howard/Embiid/Drummonds etc night in and night out in the NBA.

Bamba's frame is ridiculous. He'll be a monster physically in a couple of years. You can already tell.

[doordoor123]

Just out of interest, why do you think Giannis and Bamba are comparable? Do you think that's the type of player Bamba may eventually turn into? What's the connection because honestly I find that absurd, and for this forum that is saying something.

What was your view of Giannis when he was drafted?

I thought he was a major project - and my view was formed mostly after he was drafted in his first batch of NBA games given he was basically unknown to most of us.

Bamba is much more of a known quantity given we've seen him in a lot of games now. They're two completely different players - Giannis was already known for bringing the ball up the floor pre-NBA and he already had a face-up game and this is at the age of 18. One thing they have in common is 18 year old Giannis and 19 year old Bamba need/ed to get a lot stronger, and Bamba's case a lot lot stronger given he'll be matching up against the Howard/Embiid/Drummonds etc night in and night out in the NBA.

I think Bamba is already plenty strong and he has length over most guys. He still needs to get stronger, but he’s not a pushover. Nerlens Noel is still weak and he fared pretty well against bigger guys when he was a starter.

We need to stop comparing anyone to Giannis. He’s wayy too much of an outlier and no one will ever compare to him in my lifetime.

Bamba’s biggest concern is his lack of intensity and his fatigue. He has moments he’s intense, but as the games go on he takes possessions off and doesn’t run as quickly. He runs quickly in bursts, but he can only do it a few times a game. He gets really tired. And if he’s gaining weight, how much more tired is he going to get?

I heard some people call Bamba a really smart kid and some podcaster said that in high school he went to P3 and knew a lot about the game. Here’s my thing, if he knows and loves the game, why isn’t his game more advanced? If he hasn’t learned that stuff till now, when is he going to learn? If he knew he was going to reach the NBA, why didn’t he practice that stuff anticipating he’s going to need it when he gets to the NBA?

This is my issue with a lot of guys projected from high school, they see how big and athletic they are and immediately see a paycheck instead of a career. That’s my fear in any draft pick and Bamba is so long and mobile that it fits his MO. It’s the reason I’m not high on Bamba, I don’t believe he wants to be great. And until he shows more diversity on offense and he doesn’t take plays off, I can’t belove he can ever become something great.

In contrast, Antetokounmpo came from a poor family in Greece, he never thought this opportunity would arise. He has been grateful for any opportunity to do anything because he never expected to be making so much money and to be put on such a grand stage. That’s why he was so loyal to Kidd and the Bucks organization. He feels like he owes them to he good and prove he deserves to be paid. And because growing up he didn’t have the best stuff and all of the sneaker companies after him, he became appreciative that he can chase something like being the best player in the world. His journey is incredible and paved the way to become the person and player that he is. Comparing the two is apples and oranges.

[CP War Hawks]

What was your view of Giannis when he was drafted?

I thought he was a major project - and my view was formed mostly after he was drafted in his first batch of NBA games given he was basically unknown to most of us.

Bamba is much more of a known quantity given we've seen him in a lot of games now. They're two completely different players - Giannis was already known for bringing the ball up the floor pre-NBA and he already had a face-up game and this is at the age of 18. One thing they have in common is 18 year old Giannis and 19 year old Bamba need/ed to get a lot stronger, and Bamba's case a lot lot stronger given he'll be matching up against the Howard/Embiid/Drummonds etc night in and night out in the NBA.

Bamba's frame is ridiculous. He'll be a monster physically in a couple of years. You can already tell.

You can tell he's putting some work in the gym room. Texas may not be the best for his bball development, however their strength and conditioning staff has to be up their due to the football program.

[PLO]

It's the lower body that worries me re: his strength. Its also the case its not as if he's the only big in this class. I reckon there will be better value at the position lower in the draft and also more multi-positional players ie PF/5. I can understand why people have him top 10 given his upside but I don't have him there.

[PLO]

What was your view of Giannis when he was drafted?

I thought he was a major project - and my view was formed mostly after he was drafted in his first batch of NBA games given he was basically unknown to most of us.

Bamba is much more of a known quantity given we've seen him in a lot of games now. They're two completely different players - Giannis was already known for bringing the ball up the floor pre-NBA and he already had a face-up game and this is at the age of 18. One thing they have in common is 18 year old Giannis and 19 year old Bamba need/ed to get a lot stronger, and Bamba's case a lot lot stronger given he'll be matching up against the Howard/Embiid/Drummonds etc night in and night out in the NBA.

I can't see strength being a negative issue for Bomba in a couple of years. Giannis at Bamba's age was skinnier and weaker. Bomba's got a great frame to play center in the NBA. It's how his offensive game develops that's the issue.

Giannis isn't matching up against DeAndre Jordan every night though, or the equivalent. Bamba is also a super-senior. By Bamba's current age Giannis had played a full NBA season.

Admittedly though Bamba's age is less of an issue for the position he plays but as you say its his offensive game and whether it develops. I don't think he'll be anything other than a dive man/putback guy in the NBA - I also think his defensive game is over-rated quite a bit because of the lack of a college 3 second rule. We really don't know much about his defensive instincts because all he's had to do is lurk under the hoop in college and stick a mitt up in obvious blocking situations.

[clyde21]

If this guy drops out of the top 10 many people are going to regret it.

[baldur]

If this guy drops out of the top 10 many people are going to regret it.

i would be in shock if he and/or micheal porter jr fall out of ten.

[The-Power]

If this guy drops out of the top 10 many people are going to regret it.

i would be in shock if he and/or micheal porter jr fall out of ten.

Yeah, not going to happen. But it wouldn't be unreasonable for any GM to pick Doncic, Jackson, Young, Ayton, Porter and Bagley ahead of Bamba. Then I could see maybe one more team passing on him if the fit with Bamba is truly bad or the fit with another prospect is great (e.g. 76ers). After that, it gets hard to go against Bamba's potential even though I have my doubts with him.

[Alatan]

I thought he was a major project - and my view was formed mostly after he was drafted in his first batch of NBA games given he was basically unknown to most of us.

Bamba is much more of a known quantity given we've seen him in a lot of games now. They're two completely different players - Giannis was already known for bringing the ball up the floor pre-NBA and he already had a face-up game and this is at the age of 18. One thing they have in common is 18 year old Giannis and 19 year old Bamba need/ed to get a lot stronger, and Bamba's case a lot lot stronger given he'll be matching up against the Howard/Embiid/Drummonds etc night in and night out in the NBA.

I can't see strength being a negative issue for Bomba in a couple of years. Giannis at Bamba's age was skinnier and weaker. Bomba's got a great frame to play center in the NBA. It's how his offensive game develops that's the issue.

Giannis isn't matching up against DeAndre Jordan every night though, or the equivalent. Bamba is also a super-senior. By Bamba's current age Giannis had played a full NBA season.

Admittedly though Bamba's age is less of an issue for the position he plays but as you say its his offensive game and whether it develops. I don't think he'll be anything other than a dive man/putback guy in the NBA - I also think his defensive game is over-rated quite a bit because of the lack of a college 3 second rule. We really don't know much about his defensive instincts because all he's had to do is lurk under the hoop in college and stick a mitt up in obvious blocking situations.

I can clearly see you havent watched a game of Bamba. Lurking under the rim.... He has one of the best defensive instincts both as help defender and rim protector. He can step out to the perimeter and keep guards in front of him long enough that he can block them at the rim with his incredible length. The only issue he has defensively is his lack of strength for post defense and his lack of stamina for transition defense. Both fixable. His offense is another question. He has shown some ball handling ability and great athletic ability but his post game is non existent at this moment. His touch around the rim is nothing special and his shooting has a long way to go but has shown some progress. Offensively he will at least provide what DeAndre Jordan provides but i hope he becomes much better. If you want to compare him to Bagley or Ayton, neither of them impressed me offensively. Bagley has some scoring instincts but his moves are raw and limited and he mostly relies on athleticism. Ayton is even worse and basically uses his strength to get a good position for easy finishes or shoots short jump shots. If you bank on them developing offensive games then its fair to say that Bamba has an equal chance to do so.

[PLO]

I can't see strength being a negative issue for Bomba in a couple of years. Giannis at Bamba's age was skinnier and weaker. Bomba's got a great frame to play center in the NBA. It's how his offensive game develops that's the issue.

Giannis isn't matching up against DeAndre Jordan every night though, or the equivalent. Bamba is also a super-senior. By Bamba's current age Giannis had played a full NBA season.

Admittedly though Bamba's age is less of an issue for the position he plays but as you say its his offensive game and whether it develops. I don't think he'll be anything other than a dive man/putback guy in the NBA - I also think his defensive game is over-rated quite a bit because of the lack of a college 3 second rule. We really don't know much about his defensive instincts because all he's had to do is lurk under the hoop in college and stick a mitt up in obvious blocking situations.

I can clearly see you havent watched a game of Bamba. Lurking under the rim.... He has one of the best defensive instincts both as help defender and rim protector. He can step out to the perimeter and keep guards in front of him long enough that he can block them at the rim with his incredible length. The only issue he has defensively is his lack of strength for post defense and his lack of stamina for transition defense. Both fixable. His offense is another question. He has shown some ball handling ability and great athletic ability but his post game is non existent at this moment. His touch around the rim is nothing special and his shooting has a long way to go but has shown some progress. Offensively he will at least provide what DeAndre Jordan provides but i hope he becomes much better. If you want to compare him to Bagley or Ayton, neither of them impressed me offensively. Bagley has some scoring instincts but his moves are raw and limited and he mostly relies on athleticism. Ayton is even worse and basically uses his strength to get a good position for easy finishes or shoots short jump shots. If you bank on them developing offensive games then its fair to say that Bamba has an equal chance to do so.

I've watched Bamba play. lol.

[thamadkant]

he's going top 7 IMO

that size and potential to be a longer Deandre Jordan is too enticing.