Why is Mo Bamba's pre-draft hype rising?

No prospect has seen his stock rise as dramatically as Mo Bamba since the draft process started.

Luka Doncic and Trae Young both had their time in the spotlight, and Deandre Ayton is the obvious No. 1 pick, but Bamba has gained the most buzz over the last two months. Bamba wowed scouts at the combine, he's selling the image of himself as a stretch-five, and he's winning fans over with one charming interview after another.

Here's why Bamba's pre-draft hype has risen so dramatically.

Impressive combine results

A physical marvel like Bamba was always a lock to impress scouts at the combine, but even the biggest of skeptics were blown away when he posted the widest wingspan in NBA.com's scouting database.

Bamba boasts a 7-foot-10 wingspan, which puts him ahead of the game's best shot blockers in Anthony Davis (7-foot-6) and Rudy Gobert (7-foot-9). With that type of reach, it's hard to foresee a scenario in which Bamba doesn't eventually lead the league in blocks on an annual basis.

Most other lottery-projected bigs skipped the combine altogether, which only helps Bamba's cause. Duke's frontcourt of Marvin Bagley III and Wendell Carter stayed home, Ayton didn't bother since he's already going to be picked first overall, and Jaren Jackson Jr. is still a mystery.

Put it this way: Bamba's standing reach is just four inches shy of the rim, and that stands out even more in person. At the minimum, he will be able to deter drives, dominate the glass, and finish lobs. And if he adds anything else to his game, Bamba has a good chance of becoming an All-Star.

Unicorn potential

Every team is looking for 3-point shooting, so it was a wise decision for Bamba to work with trainer extraordinaire and shooting guru Drew Hanlen.

Bamba and Hanlen have been working on two things in recent weeks - post moves and shooting, according to John Gonzalez of The Ringer. The latter has scouts especially excited, especially after a training video surfaced of the 7-foot talent swishing nine threes in a row.

Nobody has forgotten that Bamba shot 27 percent on threes as a freshman, but the developments have been promising. His release no longer resembles a catapult and he's lowered his arm angle to be perpendicular to his body as he shoots, which gives him more of an arc on his jumper.

This transformation changed the perception surrounding Bamba. Instead of being another run-of-the-mill rim-runner, execs began to see visions of Gobert with a 3-point shot. But Hanlen had a different model in mind - the second coming of Joel Embiid - and Hanlen arranged a week-long workout between the two 7-footers to learn from one another.

It also helped that Bamba, as media savvy as anyone in the draft, was setting up the "Unicorn" mystique as far back as February.

"A unicorn," Bamba told Reid Forgrave of CBS Sports at the time, "is a mythical creature that you've never seen before. And a unicorn player, he makes plays and does stuff you've never seen before. A 7-footer who hits a step-back jumper: That's a pretty unicorn-like thing. Or someone who blocks a shot off the top of the backboard, pushes it in transition, and finds a shooter in the corner: That's pretty unicorn-like. That's something I embrace, just doing stuff not many people can do."

Excellent interviews and cameos

The combine launched the hype around Bamba, but it wasn't just the sheer athleticism that wowed executives. They were also blown away by the poise and maturity of Bamba during interviews.

Bamba comes across as calm, charming, and eloquent for a 20-year-old. He was adored after interviews on ESPN's draft show and on "The Jump." He stuck to the script of billing himself as a 3-point shooting rim-protector, but wasn't rigid or nervous as a conversationalist.

He also helped his cause by meeting with the right people. Bamba was seen working out with Kevin Garnett, which further cemented the idea that he was a perimeter-oriented defender.