EXCLUSIVE IMH Interview with Magic C Mo Bamba
- Jake Klein
- Apr 21, 2020
- 3 min read
A highly touted prospect out of high school in Pennsylvania, Mo Bamba went on to play an All-Big 12 season at Texas before being selected 6th overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2018 NBA Draft. Over 107 career games, Bamba averages 5.8 points and 5 rebounds per game, shooting 47.4% from the field and knocking down a third of his 174 attempted 3-pointers from the center position.
Jake Klein: Both of your parents are from Côte d'Ivoire, but you were raised in Harlem. How did that upbringing help kickstart your basketball career?
Mo Bamba: Harlem shaped who I am. Seeing the immigrant work ethic that my dad had – driving a cab 70+ hours a week, which he still does to this day – to provide for our family really set the tone. My mom and dad still work hard to give money back to family in Ivory Coast through good times and bad, so seeing that, plus the tough reputation that Harlem has, created a lotta resilience in me. You grow up fast there.
JK: Once you committed to Texas to play college ball, some potential recruiting issues arose. How did you navigate those challenges and tune out the noise en route to launching a successful college career?
MB: I knew that I was doing things the right way, that I took every measure possible to protect my eligibility, and that the truth would come out after those issues were initially reported. It only took the NCAA 11 days to clear me, which I think is record time, so that says a lot and I wasn’t really too worried about it. We worked with the former Chief Compliance Officer of a Big 10 and Big 12 school throughout my whole recruitment just to ensure we were doing everything properly. My coaches and teammates were very supportive that summer during those 11 days before we got official word I was good to go. But yeah, a good test of my ability to tune out noise like you say and focus right from the start.
JK: During the NBA Combine, you set the record for longest wingspan and ran a faster ¾ court sprint than Russell Westbrook. How do you use those attributes to your advantage in game situations.
MB: My wingspan allows me to slide help-side with more force, alter shots, and disrupt passing lanes. My speed is something I always knew I had but it helps me get out in transition and put pressure on the rim on both ends of the court. A big who runs the floor is very valuable in the NBA.
JK: What was life like once your childhood friend Sheck Wes’ song “Mo Bamba” spiked in popularity? Was that the kind of thing you heard about in the arena every night?
MB: Oh yeah you couldn’t go anywhere these past 2 years without hearing it but it was a cool reminder that your good friend made it in the music business. His whole Mudboy album was great though and I think he’ll continue to put out tracks that hit the charts.
JK: If you had to challenge one mascot to a fight, which one would you choose?
MB: Boomer and Sooner can meet me by the bike racks any time
Big thanks to Mo and Greer Love for making this happen. They were both awesome to work with.
Commentaires