Bol Bol is going to be a big, big problem
By Philip Jurkovsky
The NBA was officially back today. Well not officially, as it was only scrimmage games, but nevertheless , a live game of basketball was played.
As we all know, the season has been postponed since March 12 — robbing us of NBA action for over 4-months. Although basketball fans were left with a gaping hole in their lives without their NBA fix, one positive to come from the extended break in play is that players who were facing potentially season ending injuries prior to the lockdown, have been provided a rare lifeline that has enabled them to overcome their injuries and put their hand up for possible selection once the season returns next Friday.
One player who has been handed said lifeline and has put an extremely long hand up for selection is Denver Nuggets rookie — Bol Bol.
Bol Bol returned to the big stage today — well as big as a tune up game against the lowest ranked team in front of no fans at Disney World can be — showcasing 30-minutes of basketball that would excite all Denver fans, and at the same time put fear into the eyes of all other teams.
But before we get into today’s game, let's rewind and take a look at the path that saw Bol end up a Nugget.
Bol is the son of former Bullets player Manute Bol, who is the second tallest NBA player in history —listed at 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m). Manute played 10 seasons in the NBA, with no surprise coming that he is currently ranked second in NBA history in blocked shots per game (behind Mark Eaton).
Standing at 7-foot-2, Bol Bol played college basketball for Oregon, however only managed to play in nine games due to a stress fracture in his left foot. According to Chase Hughes of NBC Sports, “If it weren’t for the injury, Bol would probably be in the top-five range. Whichever team takes him will be going high-risk, high-reward, not unlike the Nuggets with Michael Porter Jr. last June.”
Well funnily enough, it was in fact the Nuggets who took Bol with pick 44 in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Bol’s college statistics: 21.0 ppg, 9.6 rpg, 1.0 apg, 0.8 spg, 2.8 bpg, 56.1 FG% (8.2/14.7), 52.0 3PT% (1.4/2.8), 75.7 FT%
Porter Jr. was another highly touted college prospect who would have been a top 5 selection if it wasn’t for his back issues. Although he didn’t drop as far as Bol, the Nuggets took MPJ with the 14th selection in the 2018 draft. Denver, an already competitive team in the NBA, decided to take not one, but two long term selections in back to back drafts. You could have made the case that they should have taken two ready made players that could contribute immediately out of college, however the Nuggets played the long con, setting up the future for their organization.
Not only is their future bright, Denver wisely recognised that a championship was off the cards with the Warriors/Lebron James rivalry at hand. No team was a realistic chance to challenge for a ring, so the Nuggets were able to keep their core and add two potential stars of the game to their already deep lineup —all while the Warriors and King James beat each other up.
Now here we are, the Warriors dynasty is over and the Western Conference has opened up. The Nuggets were sent packing in the Semifinals last season at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers in 7-games, and the question will be can Denver go a step or two further this time round. And perhaps, their pick 44, 7-foot 2 rookie could be the answer.
Now of course, I might be over exaggerating the influence a rookie can have on a championship run, especially considering there is only 8 more regular season games remaining and Bol is yet to debut. However, if you saw the output Bol put together in today’s scrimmage against the Wizards, I may not be as crazy as you think.
Chase Hughes touted Bol’s talents leading into the draft as such — “Bol has a chance to be perfectly suited for this era of NBA unicorns. He is over 7-feet tall, yet is highly skilled for his size. He can run the floor, make plays off the dribble and shoot from outside. He is also an adept shot-blocker with the instincts to maximize his height and length.”
Well, Mr. Hughes, it seems you know you’re basketball. Here is a passage of play from today’s game that perfectly displays Bol’s skillset.
I must make mention of the starting lineup the Nuggets unveiled for their opening matchup against Washington. Coach Mike Malone went with a starting five of Jokic, Millsap, Bol, Plumlee and Grant. The Houston Rockets went small ball and the Nuggets went tall ball.
The most impressive thing about the play above is the fact Bol waived off Jokic and hit a pull up three with no hesitation. If that wasn’t a prove yourself moment then I don’t know what is. Bol clearly is aware of his potential and will use these warm-up games as a stage to prove to his teammates and coaches that he can be a reliable and impactive player for the Nuggets in the playoffs.
Bol played 32 minutes and registered 16-points and 10-rebounds, along with 6-blocks and a +/- of +18. He played so well he was randomly drug tested by the NBA after the match. According to Mike Singer of the Denver Post, the drug test was scheduled ahead of time to take place but the timing of it was pure comedy.
Despite using this entire article to talk up Bol, it was only one game and against the luckless Wizards, but if he can continue to impress and showcase the unique skills that had him lauded as a lottery pick, then Bol Bol could be beneficial to Denver’s push for their first championship in NBA history.
