Before Chris Mullin was announced as the new head coach for the Red Storm, Bamba admitted that St. John's never entered his mind. He said he had never heard from Steve Lavin or anyone from the Red Storm prior coaching staff, but that changed on day one of Mullin's hiring when he said the new staff reached out.
"I heard from them, and Coach Mullin told me a lot of things," Bamba said after a dominant weekend up in Springfield, Massachusetts. "He is a legend of this game so he is someone who you absolutely respect and the main thing he said was that I was going to be his #1 priority and that he hopes I stay at home."
His first St. John's experience was going up to the visit that Mullin and the new coaching staff had in hosting a number of prospects up at the school in early June. It was Bamba's first visit to the campus, and even though he admits that he didn't watch much college basketball when he was younger so he didn't get to see them during some of their stronger years, the trip to Queens that he took definitely did make an impression on him.
"It did do something for me," Bamba said of the visit to St. John's. "Coach Mullin introduced himself to me and we got to talk some basketball. I could tell he knew a lot about me and my game. It was a great experience and a good visit.
"Ever since that moment St. John's has been a constant on the trail of Bamba. Wherever Bamba has played so far during this July Live Period, Mullin and his assistants have been there as well. Once again this past weekend in Massachusetts during a workout that the PSA Cardinals hosted with Albany City Rocks, there was Mullin at center court in the stands keeping a close eye on the recruit he covets so much.
While Bamba says that he doesn't always focus on who is watching him play, even noting that he does sometimes need a reminder that the coaches are watching because he is so focused on performing and doing his thing on the court, he is aware that Mullin has been following him around, and says that it does mean a lot to him.
"It shows me that St. John's is very interested in me and I very much appreciate that," Bamba stated.
https://stjohns.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1784642