The Orlando Magic stayed relatively faithful to their philosophy of drafting athletic bigs when they picked Mo Bamba sixth overall. The intriguing prospect projects as a dominant rim protector in the pros, his offensive ceiling largely undiscovered. When G.O.O.D. music signee Sheck Wes shot up in stature after releasing "Mo Bamba," the player he named his song became a household name, but not by chance. Bamba became the rare freshman to play a deciding factor in Texas' developmental history. With that being said, rap fans were still unsure why Sheck had chosen Bamba as his cult figure.
Thanks to a little detective work, it became public knowledge that Sheck Wes and Bamba both came up playing AAU basketball in the New York public system the Center joined a boarding school to hone his talents. Sheck Wes compared his experience as an unsigned artist, to the buzz surrounding Bamba when NCAA scouts started attending his high school matches. Incidentally, both Bamba and Sheck Wes made it to the very highest echelon in their respective fields.
Fast forward to yesterday at the NBA Draft in Brooklyn, and Bamba was picked in lottery as expected by an Orlando Magic in dire need of a cult figure to lead the charge. After telling the Memphis Grizzlies he wouldn't report if they picked him, the decision all but made itself. Happy with his decision, Bamba rounded up his hometown buds and marked the occasion by turning up to the very song made in his honor.
"I got hoes calling a young n**** phone
Where's Ali with the motherfucking dope?
I be ballin' like a mo'fuckin' pro
I be ballin' like my n**** Mo (Bamba, bitch)
Sheck Wes, I ain’t a mo'fuckin' joke"