Why Bol Bol fell to the second round of the 2019 NBA Draft
Out of all of the players in the 2019 NBA Draft, Bol Bol was one of the players who garnered the most attention. He’s a 7’3”, 208 pound center, with a 7’6” wingspan. He’s a tremendous shooter, shooting 52% from 3 on nearly 3 attempts per game. Unlike most big men, he has a soft touch inside, and that combined with his length results in a very unconventional offensive game.
He was one of the best shot blockers in college basketball last season. Bol Bol blocked 2.7 shots per game. He also averaged 0.8 steals per game, but he did have one game with three steals, and one with two. Which shows that while inconsistent, it’s still something he’s able to do. He had an excellent defensive rating with an 86.7, better than player such as Jaxson Hayes, De’Andre Hunter, and Zion Williamson.
Bol Bol has a very high ceiling, but also a very low floor. He’s 7’3, but only weighs 208 lbs. Just to give that some context, here are some players who weigh more than him. 6’7” Klay Thompson weighs 216 lbs. 6’7” Kyle Korver weighs 212 lbs. 6’4” Marcus Smart weighs 220 lbs. Reggie Jackson is only 6’3”, and weighs the exact same as Bol Bol. He’s incredibly frail, and that’s extremely worrisome. Porzingis was viewed as frail entering the league, and he weighed in at 230 lbs. The fact that Bol Bol is even lighter than he is, is a huge red flag. NBA players almost always put on weight once they get to the league, but Bol needs to put on at least 30 lbs which won’t be easy. He’s been trying to put on weight for years, and nothing sticks to him. He’s known as having a sub-par work ethic, and that’s not going to cut it in the NBA.
Bol Bol only played 9 games last season after a stress fracture in his foot, which is a worry. Out of all the NBA players to suffer this same injury, no two players have been affected the same. Which means his injury is unpredictable. The NBA teams know way more about this injury than we do, so the fact that he fell so far shows that his injury is extremely serious.
Bol Bol has a ton of potential, but we just don’t know if he has the work ethic to fulfill it. He needs to add weight, strength, and most importantly stay healthy. He’s a very special player, who could be an All Star in this league, but he just comes with plenty of uncertainties.
