In addition to watching film on Mohamed Bamba, I was able to attend Texas @ TCU February 10. I primarily watched for top prospect Mohamed Bamba. Read my full scouting report below:
Name: Mohamed Bamba
Height/Weight: 6’11/225
Wingspan/ standing reach:
Position: C/PF
College: Texas
Tools: Length, defense
Pros:
- Incredibly long arms
- Excellent shot blocker. Elite help side defender
- Great P&R potential on both ends- can switch onto anyone, can excel offensively in P&R
- Plays above the rim
- Threat as trailer in transition
- Can occasionally put the ball on the floor for a drive
Cons:
- Still raw and may not contribute right away
- Needs to add strength- shows on the glass
- Must polish jump shot- somewhat slow
- Must learn to defend without fouling
- Sometimes struggle holding post position and allowing opponent to reach and poke entry pass
- Only average touch around the rim- poor hook shot touch
- Motor can come and go
Overall: While Bamba is for sure a top 10 talent, Bamba is still a raw, high upside potential project for an NBA team. His nearly 7’9 wingspan alone makes him intriguing, as it helps him tremendously on defense as well as in the pick & roll on both ends. Bamba can guard virtually any position and excels in switches. Against TCU, he only recorded one foul, which allowed him to play over 30 minutes. His scoring was also on display, going for 23 points on 9-16 shooting. He showed explosiveness just once on a post spin dunk in the second half. One worry with Bamba that has been noted all year is shot creation. Against TCU, he put the ball on the floor early on in driving and found early success. He must continue to grow as a 1-on-1 player and improve shot creation skills to reach his ceiling.
His jump shot needs improvement, as his spacing provided from being able to shoot is beneficial, but the lack of success is worrisome. With an NBA coach, he can make minor improvements such as speeding up his shot and getting consistent follow-through. He plays mostly above the rim, but when he uses his post hook shot, the touch is inconsistent.
Bamba will be 20 at the time of the draft, so he still has plenty of time to improve and break out. His upside is unreal, and his floor poses as a versatile defender that can guard any position. If his offense hits, he can stretch the floor occasionally and pose as a threat in the P&R. While many see him as Gobert because of length, their playing styles are quite different. Bamba plays like Dewayne Dedmon, who can hit an occasional three, as well as Whiteside, who is a block machine and can also shoot out to mid range.
NBA Comparison: Floor- Thon Maker; ceiling-somewhere in between Dewayne Dedmon and Hassan Whiteside
Projected draft range: Top 7
