With the NBA Draft coming up on Thursday, many teams are in the final stages of scouting prospects in hopes of drafting them when they hit the clock. One of those teams are the Memphis Grizzlies who own the fourth pick in the draft. The Grizzlies finished 22-60 last season, the second-worst record in the NBA, and are looking for young talent to start their long rebuilding effort. One of the people on their short list of prospects is freshman center from Texas Mo Bamba. The 7’1 center who has an eight-foot wingspan averaged 13 points, 10 rebounds, and almost four blocks a game in his only year at Texas.
Though the Grizzlies interest in Bamba is high, Bamba doesn’t share the same sentiments for the Grizzlies. According to ESPN.com’s Jonathan Givony, Bamba is refusing to work out for the Grizzlies and give him his medical records. He also has told the Grizzlies, he prefers that they don’t pick him at four in the NBA Draft.
Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) on the show: "Mo Bamba has refused to come to work out for Memphis, refused to share his medicals, and has told them openly he would prefer not to be in Memphis."
— John Martin (@JohnMartin929) June 19, 2018
Prospects avoiding workouts isn’t something new to the NBA but is a risky move in general. The Grizzlies pick fourth in the draft and Bamba refusing to workout with them could mean a slide in the draft for him and less money on his rookie deal. With Bamba being ranked the second-best center prospect in the draft next to consensus number one pick, Arizona’s Deandre Ayton, this move can seriously hurt Bamba’s draft stock if he’s not picked by the Mavericks at five. If the Grizzlies still take Bamba at four, it will be bold knowing your first round rookie doesn’t want to play there but if Bamba lives up to his potential, the Grizzlies will have a solid replacement for Marc Gasol.