After Mo Bamba was selected 6th in the 2018 draft, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor acknowledged that the 7’0” Bamba’s pro career had a variety of potential outcomes, but cited his physical tools (7’9” wingspan, 9’6” standing vertical) as cause for cautious optimism.
Most of what we’ve seen in his career so far were just tantalizing flashes: plenty of agility and athleticism and defensive promise, but not much consistency and a lot of injuries.
Old friend Wendell Carter Jr., drafted one spot after Bamba, had quickly supplanted Bamba as Orlando’s most intriguing big man prospect. Carter quickly became the team’s starting center after being traded from the Bulls, and then signed a four-year rookie contract extension worth $50 million during the 2021 offseason.