Mo Bamba facts for kids
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Bamba with the Orlando Magic in 2019.
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| Personal information | ||||||||||||||
| Born | May 12, 1998 New York City, New York, U.S. |
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| Nationality | American / Ivorian | |||||||||||||
| High school |
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| Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) | |||||||||||||
| Listed weight | 231 lb (105 kg) | |||||||||||||
| Career information | ||||||||||||||
| College | Texas (2017–2018) | |||||||||||||
| NBA Draft | 2018 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6th overall | |||||||||||||
| Selected by the Orlando Magic | ||||||||||||||
| Pro career | 2017–present | |||||||||||||
| Career history | ||||||||||||||
| 2018–2023 | Orlando Magic | |||||||||||||
| 2023 | Los Angeles Lakers | |||||||||||||
| 2023–2024 | Philadelphia 76ers | |||||||||||||
| 2024–2025 | Los Angeles Clippers | |||||||||||||
| 2024 | →San Diego Clippers | |||||||||||||
| 2025 | Birmingham Squadron | |||||||||||||
| 2025 | New Orleans Pelicans | |||||||||||||
| Career highlights and awards | ||||||||||||||
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Mohamed Fakaba Bamba (born May 12, 1998) is an Ivorian-American professional basketball player. He last played for the New Orleans Pelicans in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the Texas Longhorns. Scouts were very impressed by his amazing 7 ft 10 in (2.39 m) wingspan and his ability to shoot the ball.
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Mo Bamba's Early Life
Mo Bamba was born on May 12, 1998, in Harlem, New York. His parents, Lancine Bamba and Aminata Johnson, moved to the U.S. from the Ivory Coast. His grandparents were from Mali. Mo Bamba became interested in basketball when he was six years old. The sport was very popular where he grew up.
High School Basketball Journey
In eighth and ninth grade, Bamba attended Cardigan Mountain School. This was an all-boys boarding school in Canaan, New Hampshire.
After Cardigan, Bamba went to Westtown School in Westtown, Pennsylvania. During his junior year, he averaged 14 points, 11 rebounds, and six blocks per game. He was chosen to play in the 2017 McDonald's All-American Boys Game and the Nike Hoop Summit.
Bamba was considered one of the best high school players in his class. Many top colleges wanted him. He chose to play for the University of Texas for his college career.
College Career Highlights
Bamba played his first college game on November 10, 2017. He scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Texas Longhorns. On December 30, he had a fantastic game against Kansas. He scored 22 points, got 15 rebounds, and blocked eight shots.
On January 27, 2018, Bamba scored a new personal best of 25 points. He also had 15 rebounds in a win against Ole Miss. Later, on February 17, he set another personal record with 18 rebounds. This was in a win over Oklahoma.
At the end of the season, Bamba was recognized for his great play. He was named to the Big 12's All-Newcomer Team and All-Defensive Team. He was also part of the All-Big 12 Second Team. He averaged 12.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.7 blocks per game.
After his first year, Bamba decided to enter the 2018 NBA draft. He was expected to be one of the top players chosen.
Professional Basketball Journey
At the 2018 NBA combine, Mo Bamba showed off his incredible size. He measured 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) tall. His wingspan was an amazing 7 ft 10 in (2.39 m). This broke the previous record! He also reportedly ran very fast for his size.
Starting with the Orlando Magic (2018–2023)
On June 21, 2018, the Orlando Magic picked Bamba as the sixth overall player in the 2018 NBA draft. He officially signed with the Magic on July 3, 2018.
Bamba played his first NBA game on October 17, 2018. He scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds. On May 3, 2021, he scored 22 points and had 15 rebounds against the Detroit Pistons. This was a career high for rebounds at the time.
On October 29, 2021, Bamba grabbed 18 rebounds, another career high. On January 19, 2022, he scored a career-high 32 points. He made seven three-pointers in that game against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Bamba re-signed with the Magic in July 2022. He was suspended for some games due to altercations on the court.
Time with the Los Angeles Lakers (2023)
On February 9, 2023, Bamba was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He joined them as part of a four-team trade. On March 5, he got a left ankle injury during a game. He was out for at least four weeks but returned on April 7.
The Lakers waived Bamba on June 29, 2023.
Playing for the Philadelphia 76ers (2023–2024)
On July 9, 2023, Bamba signed a one-year deal with the Philadelphia 76ers. The team's star player, Joel Embiid, wanted Bamba to join the team.
Joining the Los Angeles Clippers (2024–2025)
On July 6, 2024, Bamba signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Clippers. He was later traded to the Utah Jazz on February 1, 2025, but was waived the next day.
With the New Orleans Pelicans (2025)
On March 10, 2025, Bamba signed a 10-day contract with the New Orleans Pelicans. He played four games for them.
Playing for His Country
Because his family is from the Ivory Coast, Bamba can play for the Ivory Coast national team. He was on the team's list for the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup. He was also selected for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament for the 2024 Summer Olympics. However, he did not play in these games.
Career Statistics
| Legend | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBA Regular Season Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | Orlando | 47 | 1 | 16.3 | .481 | .300 | .587 | 5.0 | .8 | .3 | 1.4 | 6.2 |
| 2019–20 | Orlando | 62 | 0 | 14.2 | .462 | .346 | .674 | 4.9 | .7 | .4 | 1.4 | 5.4 |
| 2020–21 | Orlando | 46 | 5 | 15.8 | .472 | .322 | .682 | 5.8 | .8 | .3 | 1.3 | 8.0 |
| 2021–22 | Orlando | 71 | 69 | 25.7 | .480 | .381 | .781 | 8.1 | 1.2 | .5 | 1.7 | 10.6 |
| 2022–23 | Orlando | 40 | 6 | 17.0 | .495 | .398 | .686 | 4.6 | 1.1 | .3 | 1.0 | 7.3 |
| L.A. Lakers | 9 | 1 | 9.8 | .407 | .313 | .545 | 4.6 | .4 | .1 | .6 | 3.7 | |
| 2023–24 | Philadelphia | 57 | 17 | 13.0 | .490 | .391 | .680 | 4.2 | .7 | .4 | 1.1 | 4.4 |
| 2024–25 | L.A. Clippers | 28 | 2 | 12.6 | .466 | .300 | .680 | 4.3 | .6 | .3 | 1.0 | 4.6 |
| New Orleans | 4 | 0 | 15.3 | .444 | .000 | 1.000 | 6.3 | .5 | .0 | .8 | 2.5 | |
| Career | 364 | 101 | 16.8 | .477 | .356 | .682 | 5.4 | .8 | .4 | 1.3 | 6.8 | |
NBA Playoff Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | L.A. Lakers | 3 | 0 | 3.4 | .000 | .000 | — | 1.0 | .3 | .0 | .3 | .0 |
| Career | 3 | 0 | 3.4 | .000 | .000 | — | 1.0 | .3 | .0 | .3 | .0 | |
College Stats
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–18 | Texas | 29 | 28 | 30.2 | .603 | .280 | .678 | 10.4 | .5 | .8 | 3.7 | 12.9 |
Personal Life and Music
When he was growing up in Harlem, Mo Bamba was friends with the rapper Sheck Wes. Their friendship actually inspired the popular song "Mo Bamba".
See also
In Spanish: Mo Bamba para niños
