Mo Bamba

Mohamed Bamba
Born	Mohamed Fakaba Bamba (1998-05-12) May 12, 1998 Harlem, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Professional basketball player
Years active	2017–present
Known for	Playing for Salt Lake City Stars in the NBA G League; former Texas Longhorns player

Mohamed Fakaba Bamba (born May 12, 1998) is a professional basketball athlete holding dual Ivorian-American nationality, currently playing for the Salt Lake City Stars in the NBA G League. He competed at the collegiate level for the Texas Longhorns, where scouts highly valued his exceptional wingspan and shooting skills. Bamba's high school journey included time at Cardigan Mountain School in Canaan, New Hampshire and Westtown School in West Chester, Pennsylvania, where he stood out as one of the premier prospects in the 2017 graduating class.

Early life

Born on May 12, 1998, in Harlem, New York, Bamba is the son of Lancine Bamba and Aminata Johnson, both immigrants from the Ivory Coast. His family heritage traces back to ancestors from present-day Mali. His older sibling, Sidiki Johnson, played collegiate basketball at Arizona, Providence, and Wabash Valley. Another half-brother, Ibrahim Johnson, also competed in college basketball across multiple institutions. Bamba’s passion for basketball began at age six, inspired by the sport's prominence in his native community.

High school career

During eighth and ninth grades, Bamba attended Cardigan Mountain School, an all-male boarding institution located in Canaan, New Hampshire. He subsequently transferred to Westtown School in Westtown, Pennsylvania. In his junior year, he averaged 14 points, 11 rebounds, and six blocks per contest. His talent earned him invitations to prestigious events such as the 2017 McDonald's All-American Boys Game and the Nike Hoop Summit.

Recognized as a five-star recruit and ranked among the elite players of his class, Bamba narrowed his college options to Kentucky, Duke, Texas, and Michigan. Ultimately, he chose to commit to the University of Texas.

Prior to joining Texas, allegations surfaced from his half-brother Ibrahim Johnson on Facebook Live regarding an investor based in Michigan who purportedly offered illicit benefits during Bamba’s recruitment process. The matter was reported to the NCAA, which later determined that these claims would not impact Bamba’s eligibility for his freshman year.

College career

Bamba made his collegiate debut for Texas on November 10, 2017, contributing 15 points and eight rebounds in a commanding victory over Northwestern State. He continued to impress with performances such as a double-double featuring 13 points, 10 rebounds, and five blocks against Lipscomb. On December 30, he recorded a season-best 22 points along with 15 rebounds and eight blocks versus Kansas. Early in 2018, Bamba reached new personal records with 25 points and 18 rebounds during important wins against Ole Miss and Oklahoma. Concluding the regular season, he averaged 12.9 points and 10.5 rebounds per game and earned recognition on the Big 12 All-Newcomer Team, All-Defensive Team, and Second Team.

Following Texas’s defeat by Nevada in the 2018 NCAA tournament, Bamba declared for the 2018 NBA draft where he was expected to be selected within the lottery picks.

Professional career

During the 2018 NBA combine, Bamba was measured at 7 feet tall and showcased an extraordinary wingspan of 7 feet 10 inches, breaking the previous record held by Edy Tavares. In private sessions, he exhibited remarkable quickness, reportedly completing a three-quarter court sprint in 3.04 seconds—outpacing MVP Russell Westbrook. It is also noteworthy that Bamba chose not to participate in workouts for the Memphis Grizzlies and explicitly communicated his desire not to be selected by them.

Orlando Magic (2018–2023)

Bamba was picked sixth overall by the Orlando Magic in the 2018 NBA draft on June 21, 2018. He officially signed his rookie contract with the team on July 3. Making his professional debut on October 17, 2018, he contributed 13 points, seven rebounds, and two blocks off the bench in a narrow 104–101 victory against the Miami Heat.

On May 3, 2021, Bamba posted 22 points along with a then-career-best 15 rebounds in just 29 minutes off the bench during a 119–112 win over the Detroit Pistons. Later, on October 29, 2021, he achieved a new personal record with 18 rebounds and added 14 points in a close 110–109 loss to the Toronto Raptors. On January 19, 2022, Bamba established a career-high scoring mark with 32 points, including seven successful three-pointers, despite a 123–110 defeat to the Philadelphia 76ers.

Bamba extended his tenure with the Magic by signing a two-year contract on July 1, 2022. On December 29 of that year, he faced a one-game suspension without pay for leaving the bench area during an altercation involving the Detroit Pistons. Subsequently, on February 4, 2023, he was suspended for four games without pay due to his involvement in a confrontation against the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he left the bench and engaged physically with guard Austin Rivers.

Los Angeles Lakers (2023)

On February 9, 2023, Bamba was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a four-team transaction that included the Los Angeles Clippers and Denver Nuggets. During a March 5 victory over the Golden State Warriors, he played briefly before sustaining an injury to his left ankle. Four days later, it was announced that Bamba suffered a high left ankle sprain that would keep him sidelined for at least four weeks. He made his return on April 7 as a reserve in a game against the Phoenix Suns.

The Los Angeles Lakers waived Bamba on June 29, 2023.

Philadelphia 76ers (2023–2024)

Bamba agreed to a one-year contract with the Philadelphia 76ers on July 9, 2023. His decision was influenced by franchise star Joel Embiid, who personally encouraged him to join Philadelphia.

Los Angeles Clippers (2024–2025)

On July 6, 2024, Bamba inked a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. Later, on February 1, 2025, he was involved in a trade sending him along with P. J. Tucker, a future second-round pick in 2030, and cash considerations to the Utah Jazz, in exchange for Drew Eubanks and Patty Mills. However, Utah waived him the very next day.

New Orleans Pelicans (2025)

Bamba signed a short-term ten-day contract with the New Orleans Pelicans on March 10, 2025. During this period, he appeared in four games.

Salt Lake City Stars (2025–present)

After signing with the Utah Jazz on September 25, 2025, Bamba was released following preseason camp. Shortly thereafter, on October 27, 2025, he joined the Salt Lake City Stars roster.

National team career

Thanks to his Ivorian roots, Bamba was included in the initial squad for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup and later secured a spot on the roster for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in preparation for the 2024 Summer Olympics. Despite these selections, he has yet to make an official appearance representing the Ivory Coast national basketball team.

Regular season

|- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Orlando | 47 || 1 || 16.3 || .481 || .300 || .587 || 5.0 || .8 || .3 || 1.4 || 6.2 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Orlando | 62 || 0 || 14.2 || .462 || .346 || .674 || 4.9 || .7 || .4 || 1.4 || 5.4 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Orlando | 46 || 5 || 15.8 || .472 || .322 || .682 || 5.8 || .8 || .3 || 1.3 || 8.0 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Orlando | 71 || 69 || 25.7 || .480 || .381 || .781 || 8.1 || 1.2 || .5 || 1.7 || 10.6 |- | style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2| | style="text-align:left;"|Orlando | 40 || 6 || 17.0 || .495 || .398 || .686 || 4.6 || 1.1 || .3 || 1.0 || 7.3 |- | style="text-align:left;"|L.A. Lakers | 9 || 1 || 9.8 || .407 || .313 || .545 || 4.6 || .4 || .1 || .6 || 3.7 |- | style="text-align:left;"| | style="text-align:left;"|Philadelphia | 57 || 17 || 13.0 || .490 || .391 || .680 || 4.2|| .7|| .4||1.1||4.4 |- | style="text-align:left;" rowspan=2| | style="text-align:left;"|L.A. Clippers | 28||2||12.6|| .466|| .300|| .680||4.3|| .6|| .3||1.0||4.6 |- | style="text-align:left;" |New Orleans |4||0||15.3||.444||.000||1.000||6.3||.5||0||0.8||2.5 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career |364||101||16.8||.477||.356||.682||5.4||.8||.4||1.3||6.8

Playoffs

|- | style="text-align:left;" | 2023 | style="text-align:left;" | L.A. Lakers | 3||0||3.4||.000||.000|||1.0||.3||0||.3||0 |- class="sortbottom" | style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career |3||0||3.4||.000||.000|||1.0||.3||0||.3||0

College

|- | style="text-align:left;" |2017–18 | style="text-align:left;" |Texas |29||28||30.2||.603||.280||.678||10.4||0.5||0.8|||3.7|||12.9

Personal life

Raised in Harlem, Bamba shared a close friendship with rapper Sheck Wes, who was inspired to create the popular track "Mo Bamba".

In October of 2020, Bamba endured a personal tragedy when his brother, Ibrahim Johnson, was fatally shot.

External links

• Profile at Texas Longhorns