Mohamed Bamba: 2018 NBA Draft player profile

Overall outlook

Bamba will likely be very limited when he comes into the league offensively. His lack of strength and decision-making will make it hard to value him as a rim-runner and lob-catcher. His jump shot most likely will not be far enough along where he could really be considered a threat as a jump shooter if he attempts to immediately space the floor with his shot.

Defensively, I think Bamba is the best rim protector you can find in this class. He’s fundamentally sound, can block shots with either hand and has great timing on his block attempts. Somehow a team will likely overlook Bamba’s defensive woes in order to give him spot minutes for rim protection. It is important to remember that most rookies do not contribute right away and the 15-20 minutes that you can get of quality defense from Bamba a game will be looked at as a plus.

His defensive ability makes me think that Bamba will always have value regardless of his offensive development, as long as he continues to add strength in both his lower and upper body. With the  strength Bamba can add over the next few years, he will jump to elite post defender status.

Next: 2018 NBA Mock Draft - Doncic still No. 1 in post-lottery edition

In order to get the most offensive production from Bamba, he needs to be willing to accept a rim-running role. Being just a standstill average jump shooter most likely will not amount to much offensive value. However, if Bamba can put both the jump shot and rim-running abilities together, he could become an extremely high quality scoring big man in ball screen situations.