In what sounds like a broken record, the Dallas Mavericks are rumored to be chasing a free agent big man this offseason. The Mavs are also supposedly out on former Texas Longhorn Mohamed Bamba, a young prospect with eye-popping length, because of their interest in DeMarcus Cousins, DeAndre Jordan, and Julius Randle. But what kind of talent would the Mavs be passing on?
The obvious intrigue of Mo Bamba is his otherworldly wingspan and size. At the draft combine, all the 20-year old did was post the longest wingspan in combine history. The seven-footer’s 7-foot-10 wingspan tops the Utah Jazz’s Rudy Gobert by an inch-and-a-half. He’s adding weight to his thin frame in the offseason, hoping to address what many saw to be his biggest weakness. Should he land in Dallas, he’s expected to address two of the Mavericks’ needs in rebounding and rim protection.
Bamba’s workout videos made the rounds on the internet recently, and they featured his jump shot that extends out to the three-point line. He rarely shot from deep while in college, going 14-for-51 on the season, good for 27.5 percent. But many see potential in his shot, falling in love with drafting “Rudy Gobert with a jumper.”
While his jump shot is a work in progress, he should immediately fit into the Mavericks’ offense that asks their centers to roll to the rim and finish lobs. This fact hasn’t escaped Bamba, either, who praised Dennis Smith Jr. and noted how the two would complement each other while speaking at the combine. He also saw a fit within Carlisle’s system.
“Rick Carlisle has said himself that he thinks Dennis is best with a big who rolls hard and finishes above the rim,” Bamba said. “It would be an interesting deal, me and Dennis.”
He’s also a well-spoken player who famously twice attended the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference. He should theoretically fit well with Coach Carlisle, who has a good history with smart players – although Rajon Rondo, another supposedly intellectual type, might disagree. The popular view on Bamba is that he has a high ceiling, or incredible potential. However, many also see him as a low floor prospect, which is a nicer way of saying he has massive bust potential.
There have been questions about his motor and his hustle, things that Bamba won’t be able to address until he starts playing games in the NBA. He wasn’t always hustling back on defense in college, something that was well within his control regardless of his fit in Texas’s system. Bamba could be the prototype center for today’s NBA, similar to Clint Capela of the Houston Rockets. Capela rebounds, blocks shots, and finishes at the rim; talents that will get him paid very well this offseason. With Bamba’s physical traits, attaining Capela’s level is within his lengthy reach.
Is Bamba’s potential worth taking a gamble on? Or would the Mavericks prefer to select a wing player at five, freeing them up to chase Cousins, Jordan, and Randle? Mavs fans have seen this before and how it can end. By this time next year, we’ll have know if the Mavericks have learned from the past or are doomed to repeat their draft failures.
