7 Must-Watch NCAA Tournament First Round Games for Hawks Fans
By Chris Guest
No. 7 Nevada vs. No. 10 Texas
Nevada is regarded as a rather vulnerable 7-seed, which means Hawks fans will hopefully get a chance to see the spidery Mohamed Bamba dominate for the Texas Longhorns.
Bamba is currently slated as a top 7-8 talent, and if the Hawks win too many games, they might have a chance to pick him in the lower reaches of the top 10.
He is still extremely thin, as his immense length and height (7’0”) do not match his bulk just yet (216 lbs.). Give him a year of offseason gains, however, and he could be a fearsome interior defender up front for Atlanta for years to come.
His offensive skill set is raw, but he has shown a propensity for stepping up and hitting threes at a reasonable clip – something that almost all centers in today’s NBA must show an ability to do.
Nevada has a slew of guards and wings that will force Bamba to defend on the perimeter, something he has shown little inclination for this season for Texas. If he can ably defend in space, his stock will continue to rise.