The Orlando Magic have re-signed free agent center Mo Bamba, President of Basketball Operations Jeff Weltman announced yesterday (Friday, July 8).
Bamba (7’0”, 235, 5/12/98) played in 71 games (69 starts) last season with Orlando, averaging 10.6 ppg., 8.1 rpg., 1.2 apg. and a team-high 1.66 blkpg. in 25.7 minpg., while shooting .381 (107-281) from three-point range. He ranked sixth in the NBA in blocked shots and tied for 28th in rebounding. Bamba led (or tied) the team in scoring seven times, in rebounding 25 times and in assists twice. He scored in double figures 41 times, 20+ points four times and 30+ points once, including a career-high 32 points on Jan. 19 @ Philadelphia. Bamba had 10+ rebounds 25 times, including a career-high-tying 18 rebounds on Oct. 29 @ Toronto and had 20 double-doubles. He also had at least one blocked shot 55 times and two-or-more blocks 37 times, including a career-high six blocked shots on Nov. 29 @ Philadelphia and Apr. 5 vs. Cleveland.
Originally selected in the first round (sixth overall) of the 2018 NBA Draft by Orlando, Bamba has played in 226 career NBA regular season games (75 starts), all with the Magic, averaging 7.7 ppg., 6.1 rpg. and 1.44 blkpg. in 18.6 minpg.
Prior to this year’s NBA Draft, Bamba decided to change his uniform number to #11, which he had when he was in high school. He wore #5 during his first four NBA campaigns with the Magic.
