Bamba eager to put strength to work at summer league
he worked his way back from a stress fracture injury in his left leg, Orlando Magic center Mo Bamba put in countless hours in the gym and weight room.
It’s now time to reap some of the benefits of that work as he returns to the court.
Say hello to the new Bamba, all 7 feet and 240 pounds of him.
“This whole summer has just been work, work, work,” Bamba said. “I’ve been in the weight room and the court basically every day that I was in Orlando, and it’s really showing.”
Bamba confirmed his roughly 20-pound weight gain (he was listed at 221 pounds last season) with reporters on Tuesday after the Magic completed their first practice of the NBA Summer League 2019 in Las Vegas.
“Honestly it feels good to play at this weight,” he said. “Trust me, there’s still a ways to go, but it feels good. It’s progress.”
Magic president of basketball operations Jeff Weltman has said the team won’t rush Bamba’s return. He missed the last 30 games of the regular season and five playoff games with the injury.
Bamba said he was concerned about how the extra weight would affect his mobility. That hasn’t been a problem. He said he’s as nimble as ever, and he’s already seen the benefits of being stronger.
“A lot of post work comes from your trunk and lower body, so it just feels good to be able to hold your own (on the low block),” he said.
As one of Steve Clifford’s assistant coaches, Magic summer league coach Pat Delany has seen Bamba in action plenty of times. On Tuesday, he pointed out Bamba’s energy and rebounding in traffic. DeAs lany said the summer league will be a “stepping stone” for Bamba, and there is no plan for how much he will play.
“Whatever they [management] decide is best for him, obviously we’ll make it happen. But he’s got the right approach,” Delany said.
Overall, Delany particularly liked the energy level the team showed Tuesday.
“I think with a lot of our guys, it’s just coming with the right attitude, the right mentality, [and] the right approach. I thought all of our guys had that today,” he said. “All that does is give us a chance, and hopefully we’ll keep growing on it as the week goes.”
The Magic have practices scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday before opening league play Friday against the San Antonio Spurs at 8 p.m. (11 p.m. ET).