Cleveland Cavaliers: 5 options for pick No. 8 in 2018 NBA Draft
By Ryan Piers
3. Mohamed Bamba
LeBron James loves oversized teammates. He excels with big bodies and rim protectors that clog the paint. It’s been years since a player that fits that mold as well as Mohamed Bamba has come around. He’s 7’0″ with a 7’9″ wingspan. He can nearly dunk while standing.
Bamba’s slams are video game-like. He resembles an NBA Jam player, one whose arm pit is rim level when dunking. His highlights, at times, don’t seem real.
The projected draft position for Bamba varies. Some pundits predict he’ll be picked early, possibly fourth or fifth. He certainly has the talent to go in the top five. But the Orlando Magic are already loaded with post talent. They pick sixth. The Chicago Bulls are desperate for a wing and pick seventh. Maybe that means Bamba falls to Cleveland at No. 8.
He certainly would be a valuable addition, the kind of player that can impact the team immediately while fitting the mold of the contemporary center. If Jaren Jackson is gone at No. 8, Bamba being there would be a great consolation prize.