Shaka Smart and his Texas staff have made a major statement with their final recruit of the 2017 season, with the signing of 6-11 post man Mohamed Bamba, our No.4 rated senior, from West Chester, PA Westtown School.
He announced via the Players Tribune:
“When all was said and done, one school filled my decision jar the best,” Bamba wrote.
“I’ve decided to attend the University of Texas. I will be heading there in early June to get to work!”
He chose Texas Over Kentucky and Duke.
In his statement, Bamba said he “bonded with Shaka Smart when he played under the Texas coach on Team USA (U18) last summer”. He also said he admired the progress his friend Jarrett Allen, a projected first-round pick after a year at Texas, made last season.
“I can’t say enough about the strides my friend Jarrett Allen made this past year,” Bamba wrote. “I saw his footwork improve. I saw the spots they put him in — where he was shooting, passing and stretching the paint like a modern 5. Most importantly, I saw his confidence grow throughout the season as he distinguished himself as a possible lottery pick. I’m thankful for the blueprint he laid down and I hope to follow in his footsteps.”
Bamba is a true rim protector and dominating rebounder who has the quickness to start break and be involved in the finish on the other end. He puts immense pressure on opposing big men, as he flat out beats them down the floor and attacks the rim in transition. He has a ways to go on the blocks, where his post-up game has improved, but will be the benefit of Smart’s work with bigs that benefitted Jarrett Allen this past season. Bamba is a true difference maker who should help make the Longhorns better from day one next fall.
He joins 6-4 Matt Coleman, 6-5 Jase Febres, 6-8 Royce Hamm, and 6-9 Jericho Sims in a deep 2017 Class for the Longhorns.