Mohamed Bamba Quotes

I've always loved blocking shots.

It's just always been a knack for me to play defense.

I always felt like I'm a good one-on-one defensive player.

Being a presence on the defensive end, I know that's important to me, I have to establish that.

I was a guy that had a lot of tools and could do a lot of other things, but my main thing was controlling the defensive end of the court.

I really wasn't a good defensive player at all.

On the defensive end, I have to do my job.

You can be a great defensive player, and if you don't put up splash statistics, then you're not going to get noticed.

Being able to guard the pick and roll makes you a high asset in the NBA.

I think my wingspan helps me out on defense, because I can cover a little more ground and block a few more shots.

I don't really want to be cocky when I say this, but I really feel I can be one of the best rim protectors in the league, you know, as a rookie.

I'm a 6'1' guard, but I'm blessed to have a wingspan of 6'7'. I have good lateral movement. For me, fighting over screens and using my hands, I kind of get tips on the ball. People don't understand getting a hand on the ball - not just stealing it - means a lot, especially in this league because everything happens so fast.

I think I stand up more often than I should on defense. I've got to be solid and continue to get better.

I think I'm a great defender, to be honest.

I like to think of myself as a pretty good shot blocker.

I think I'm underrated on defense. I try to use my length and feet and put pressure on players.

You've gotta play a head game; especially blocking shots, you've gotta make it hard. You're playing against the best of the best: they're not gonna go straight to the basket, do a layup. You've gotta lure them into some shots.

I look at like this: Any player I guard, long twos or shots like that, if they make them I still think that's good defense. You can't make those shots at a high percentage the whole game. It's just hard to make long two-pointers, step-backs, fadeaways, off-the-dribble crossovers.

Any good defensive team has a strong anchor, because he cleans up mistakes.

That's how you get better on defense; not just 'oh, man, my guy beat me,' but you have to think about, 'okay, my man beat me, so I either have to pick up the next man, or I'm going to give somebody a foul.

I'm hoping I'm remembered as one of the most prolific shot-blockers.

When you're running next to a guy who's about to lay it up in transition, you just get out of the way because you know Giannis is coming to block it.

Blocking a shot can really demoralize a person and defer them from coming to the rim the rest of the game. So being able to do that and change the landscape of the game by one play is pretty amazing.

I like to always be able to contest shots. If you play against a player like Al Jefferson - he likes to pump-fake, so you need to be alert and quick. If he pump-fakes you and you go up, when you come back you need to go right back up to contest his shot.

I think I am a good help defender as well as just bringing a lot of communication to the floor.