Bol Bol will almost definitely be taken in the first round of the 2019 NBA Draft, but how high should he be selected and which team will take on the risk?
Entering this college basketball, there was arguably no more intriguing prospect (with the exception of the best that Zion Williamson turned out to be) than Bol Bol. He was a 7-foot-2 big with guard-like abilities.
Unfortunately, his freshman season at Oregon was cut short due to a left foot injury. Which now leaves many questioning – or at least this writer – where he should be taken in the first-round of the 2019 NBA Draft. After all, I don’t think anyone thinks he’ll fall out of the first round.
Simply put, it’s a loaded question that isn’t easy to answer. If he had not gotten injured, there’s no question that he likely would’ve been projected as a top 10 pick.
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In his short stint with the Ducks this season, Bol averaged 21 points, 10 rebounds and nearly three blocks per game on 56 percent shooting from the field and an impressive 52 percent from 3-point range (on nearly 3 attempts per game).
Even though it was a short sample size – Bol only appeared in nine games for the Ducks this season – those are some impressive numbers for a big. Ones that scream unicorn, in a league where teams are constantly looking for the next Kristaps Porzingis and Karl-Anthony Towns.
The big question for many teams this summer, though, is whether Bol Bol is the next 7-foot unicorn or if he’s the next big that will see his season riddled by injuries?
It’s certainly not fair to label Bol Bol either way, though all it takes for one team to be willing to roll the dice on a player that could possibly chance the game once again.
Bol Bol likely won’t be a top 10 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but if he falls to the mid-to-late first-round, there’s a good chance he could end up being the steal of the draft.