Ibou Badji had no business getting to Zach Edey’s jump hook shot. The 7-foot-4 Canadian had collected an offensive rebound and put a shoulder into Badji before going up for what appeared to be an easy close-range finish.
The 7-foot-2 Senegalese center swatted the ball into Canada’s bench, showing the type of athleticism that could appeal to an NBA team on draft night.
Badji, whose Senegal team was ultimately outclassed by a stacked Canada squad at the Under 19 World Cup last summer, is a pick-and-roll lob threat and rim protector extraordinaire.
The 19-year-old Badji, who is under contract with Barcelona, withdrew his name from consideration for the 2021 NBA draft and stayed to Spain. He saw only 3 minutes of action in Barcelona’s opener, a likely preview of his season given the squad’s depth, so he agreed to a loan to second-division Lleida.
“I need to play. I need to make myself better than last year,” Badji said of the move after he had spent most of the prior two seasons with Barcelona’s reserve team in the third division.
The NBA, he said, is in his future “for sure” but that he’s focused on helping Lleida earn promotion to the top division with his “shot blocking, rebounding, running and playing together.”
Badji’s 7-foot-8 wingspan is a huge plus, along with his “freakish athleticism, explosiveness and quick twitch vertical pop,” said Rafael Barlowe, an analyst and podcaster who runs NBA Draft Junkies.
SIZE: 7-foot-2, 235 pounds.
STATS: 8.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, 1.5 blocks, 1.6 turnovers.
STRENGTHS: Defensive anchor. Rebounder and an elite rim protector whose wingspan and footwork allow him to recover quickly or help. Offensively, a pick-and-roll lob threat and ferocious finisher. Barlowe says “it’s almost unfair to have this type of length and athleticism rolled into one player.” Has a decent mid-range jumper.
WEAKNESSES: Limited offensively. Not a 3-point threat and limited post moves. Barlowe says when he first saw Badji play three years ago “I thought he would develop into a top 5 pick when he was draft eligible. He hasn’t progressed like I expected. He’s improved some but he’s still raw and his motor doesn’t always run consistently.” Free-throw shooting average currently 62%.
DRAFT PROJECTION: Late second round in some mock drafts. He could also opt to stay out of the draft and get more experience and development. He doesn’t turn 20 until October.
Other Europe-based bigs worth watching:
C ISMAEL KAMAGATE: The 21-year-old Frenchman has impressed with Paris Basketball in the top division of France. The 6-foot-11 Kamagate had 16 points against ASVEL — where potential 2023 No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama plays — early in the season and is averaging 11 points and 5.6 rebounds. An athletic rim protector. Current teammate Juhann Begarin was drafted 45th overall by the Boston Celtics last year.
C KHALIFA DIOP: A 6-foot-11 center/power forward now in his second full season for Gran Canaria in Spain’s top division. The 20-year-old has been teammates with Ibou Badji on several Senegalese youth international teams. Diop played recently for Senegal’s top squad in qualifiers for the 2023 World Cup. He’s athletic, versatile and has a good feel for the game.
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