Just two short years ago, Mohamed Bamba was playing in the Peach Jam finals with his PSA Cardinals AAU program.

In fact, that 2016 championship game featured Bamba's Cardinals against a Mokan Elite team that showcased Trae Young and Michael Porter Jr.

All three players were selected in the lottery of Thursday's NBA Draft, with the 6-foot-2 Young going at No. 5 to Dallas before being traded to Atlanta for Luka Doncic, the 6-11 Bamba following at No. 6 to Orlando, and the 6-10 Porter Jr. falling to Denver at No. 14 due to concerns over his back.

Bamba, Young, and Porter Jr., in turn, serve as role models for their former AAU teammates who hope to follow in their footsteps down the road.

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"What I want them to take away from this is, if I can do it, you can do it," Bamba, a native of Harlem, New York, told me Wednesday ahead of the NBA Draft. "I remember I was with PSA less than a year and a half, two years ago as far as playing."

Bamba remains especially close with PSA Cardinals star Cole Anthony, a class of 2019 guard who led the USA U18 team to the FIBA U18 Americas Championship in St. Catharines, Ontario. Anthony is being recruited by Duke, Louisville, Michigan, and Oregon, among others.

"Mo, that's my dude," said Anthony, who averaged 10 points per game on the 2016 PSA Cardinals. "I'm really happy for him. I know he's worked extremely hard and that's my boy. I wish nothing but the best for him. I know he had a couple setbacks with some family stuff but I'm glad he's been able to get past it and continue to be a better version of himself."

Bamba and Anthony talk regularly and even use similar language when discussing their futures.

"Cole, I'm just in his ear every day about being the best version of himself possible," Bamba said. "He's turning out to be the best high school prospect regardless of class."

Asked if Anthony could be in Bamba's place in two years — in the NBA Draft — Bamba didn't hesitate. 

"Easily, easily," he said.

Much of this mindset comes from PSA Cardinals director Terrance "Munch" Williams, a Wesleyan University product who nicknamed the program after the Wesleyan Cardinals.

"Our program is built on belief — belief in our mission, belief in the process, belief in others, and belief in ourselves," Williams said.

The PSA Cardinals actually had two guys drafted on Thursday, with Villanova product Omari Spellman one of four Wildcats chosen. He was picked at No. 30 by Atlanta, where he will young with Young and Maryland's Kevin Huerter in a rebuild of that franchise.

"Mohamed and Omari perfectly exemplify this structure of faith," Williams said. "Despite various obstacles, they believed in a vision, set goals to achieve it, trusted their individual processes, sought out the valuable counsel of others, and ultimately had the inner strength to endure all they encountered on their journeys. We encourage Cole, and all of our young players to maintain an identical approach, and if they continue along that path, the sky is the limit. I feel like that leaves them feeling pretty inspired."

After the FIBA Americas event, Anthony returned home and will get ready for Peach Jam July 11-15 in North Augusta, South Carolina. The PSA Cardinals are one of five New York and New Jersey teams in the prestigious 24-team field. 

"I definitely owe PSA Cardinals a Peach Jam championship, so I'm going to do all I can to get us that W," he said. "Work as hard as I can, make sure my team is locked in."

Bamba, Anthony, and the Cardinals lost in the Peach Jam championship game in 2016 to Young, Porter Jr. and Mokan Elite.

"That and last year I feel like we under-achieved, so I feel like we owe them one," Anthony said. "So this is going to be on me."

Anthony realizes that he could be on the same trajectory as Young, Porter Jr., and Bamba.

"It's kind of crazy that looking back on that game, there were three dudes who are going to be lottery picks," Anthony said. "Looking back it at now is really crazy."

Asked if he will eventually follow in their footsteps, he said, "That's the goal."

Adam Zagoria is a Basketball Insider who runs ZAGSBLOG.com and contributes to The New York Times. Follow Adam on Twitter.