NBA Draft 2018: 5 first round prospects on the rise

1. Mo Bamba

If you’re looking for a player who could cause a team to trade up into the top five and turn the draft on its ear, then look no further than Bamba. The former Texas center has aced the pre-draft process. It could be enough to shoot him into the top five on Thursday night.

It’s easy to understand why GMs would fall in love with Bamba’s potential — he’s the longest player in Draft Combine history. That, combined with his agile ability to move his feet give him a chance to be an absolute dominant defender at the NBA level.

The fact that he’s also reportedly drilling 3s in workouts only adds to his potential. Exiting his college season there were serious questions about whether or not Bamba could score enough to be a really good big man at the next level. He’s shown some ability as a rim-runner, but he doesn’t give off an alpha vibe as a scorer. If he adds a credible 3-point shot to his offensive package, it won’t matter. Bamba will be unstoppable.

The questions about his game largely revolve around whether or not he wants to play hard enough to be great. We’ve even heard some people question whether or not he’s too smart to focus enough of his attention on basketball. Passing on a player for being “too smart” seems like a good way for a GM to find his way to the unemployment line.

Next: NBA Draft 2018: 5 perfect first round matches

Bamba has transformed himself from a borderline top-10 pick to the hottest name in the draft. Time will tell just how far his stock can rise before his name is called.