Magic's Bamba opens up on relationship with 'family friend' Kawhi
When Mo Bamba's older half-brother, former collegiate player Sidiki Johnson, went to prison for armed robbery in 2015, the future Orlando Magic big man found an unlikely mentor in one of Johnson's acquaintances: Kawhi Leonard.
"After my brother went away for a while, Kawhi reached out to me. He just kind of stepped up and played the big brother role for me," said Bamba, according to John Denton of NBA.com. "He's always been a family friend for us."
The Toronto Raptors superstar was a member of the San Antonio Spurs in 2015, but the busy life of a professional athlete didn't stop Leonard from making time for Bamba.
"He's a guy who has always kind of been there for me," said Bamba, the sixth overall pick of the 2018 draft. "I've just picked his brain about basketball and everything and he always told me that he was there to help if I ever needed anything. That was just kind of the relationship that we've always had."
The appreciation evidently runs both ways.
"He made it to the NBA. We all had high hopes for him and I remember him saying that he was going to get here," Leonard said after their first pro matchup in Orlando on Tuesday. "I'm really proud of him for making it (to the NBA) and being a top-10 pick. He looks comfortable and looks like he belongs here. He's playing with confidence, shooting the ball well and doing a good job of helping on the weak side of the defense by blocking shots. He's doing really good.’’
That Bamba made good on his promise to join Leonard in the NBA creates a possibility that should have Magic fans salivating in anticipation: that Leonard, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, could impart some of his on-court wisdom to the young Magic center.
"I was planning on spending a portion of last summer with him, but pre-draft (workouts) were crazy," Bamba said. "We've already talked a little about training together in San Diego. Spending a couple of weeks or a few days with him, I think it would be great for me."