The NBA draft started the way everyone thought it would, with Zion Williamson, Ja Morant and RJ Barrett going 1-2-3 on Thursday night. More NBA-ready players followed but one name many thought would be heard early in the first round, one-and-done Oregon prospect Bol Bol, had yet to be selected.
One of 22 players invited to the green room for the draft, the 7-foot-2, 210-pound center considered by many as a preseason top-five pick sat in a black, spider-web suit as the first round came and went. Bol finally got the call from the Miami Heat with the 44th overall pick. Later in the night, the Denver Nuggets agreed to acquire Bol for a future second-round pick and cash.
“I’ve been dreaming this for my whole life, and it feels pretty good,” Bol said on ESPN after being selected. “I want to prove everyone wrong and come out and be the best that I can be.”
Advertisement
Bol, the son of former 7-foot-7 NBA center Manute Bol, produced 21.0 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per contest this past season before it ended with a stress fracture in his left foot after nine games, but he oftentimes stretched the floor with his shooting, showing a versatility the NBA covets in their big men.
Bol was also able to use his 7-foot-5 wingspan and 9-foot-6 standing reach to great success, shooting 56 percent in the post with an effective field goal rate of 71 percent on spot-up jump shots during his freshman season, per Synergy Sports. He added 1.3 points per possession around the basket, 1.4 points per putback on offensive rebounds and was 13 for 25 from behind the three-point line.
Defensively, Bol showed he can guard spot-up shooters (96th percentile), post-up players (53rd percentile) and those who would try to go at him in isolation (54th percentile). Jump shooters managed to go just 9 for 34 against him from the floor.
Advertisement
“We’re fortunate to add another young piece, a guy we think highly of,” Denver Nuggets President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly said after the draft. “We think his skill set [and] his pedigree, who he is as a guy, will fit in well in the locker room. We started the night with no draft picks and we left with a guy who we think has a real chance to be impactful down the road.”
ESPN agrees. Its NBA draft projections — which factor in production, opponents and draft rankings — gave Bol an 11 percent chance at being an all-star caliber player, the fourth-highest chance after Williamson (No.1 overall pick), Jaxson Hayes (No. 8) and Brandon Clarke (No. 21).
As far as his health, the Nuggets have two other centers on the roster, Nikola Jokic and Mason Plumlee, allowing Denver to advance slowly with Bol’s NBA career. Jokic is an all-star who earned All-NBA team honors this past season, and like Bol, he dropped to the second round in his draft class before emerging as one of the NBA’s superstar big men. Plumlee, meanwhile, is one of the better backup centers in the league. With one year left on his contract, it makes sense for Bol to eventually supplant Plumlee as the team’s backup center, allowing the Nuggets to pair Bol with Jokic and creating one of the most dynamic front courts in the league.
Media speaking to Bol Bol right now. Says that he may play next season but it’s up to the team how they want to handle his situation coming off of injury.
Look for the Nuggets to put him through the Michael Porter Jr. regimen until he’s 110% healthy.
— Ryan Blackburn (@NBABlackburn) June 21, 2019“He’s a very great player,” Bol said of Jokic to the Associated Press. “The Nuggets were a very great team last season. Very excited to be a part of the team.”
Advertisement
Read more:
Zion Williamson picked No. 1, Hawks move up for De’Andre Hunter in trade-filled NBA draft
Zion Williamson got hit with a $100 million lawsuit just before the draft
Rui Hachimura’s selection by the Wizards breaks barriers and raises expectations in Japan
Goga Bitadze is everyone’s favorite NBA draft pick after his sad photo with Zion Williamson
All the best in fashion from the 2019 NBA draft
Sign up for our weekly NBA newsletter to get the best basketball coverage in your inbox
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7uK3SoaCnn6Sku7G70q1lnKedZMCxu9GtqmhqYGaGcHyVaGlqZ5KkuW6uzqWqZqucnrGmecKorKWcXaeytMHLrWSapl2jr6J5w6uYn6xdnbKqv9Nmm56mppq%2FbrrUoJ6erKNk