With the expectation that he will drop late in the first-round, Bol Bol could be the steal of the 2019 NBA Draft
The 2019 NBA draft is filled with great players. Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, and R.J. Barrett all have the potential to do great things in the NBA.
One other player that not many are talking about, though, is Bol Bol who also has star potential, but probably will not be drafted as high as those three. Because of that, Bol could very well become the steal of this year’s draft class.
Bol is a great 3-point shooter, connecting on 52 percent of his shots from deep last season, with many of them being contested. He has the ability to rise up and over the defender, making it nearly impossible to block his jump shot.
Along with his jumper, Bol has a good post game. He has a soft touch around the basket and is efficient with his hook shots. Bol can fade away from both shoulders, and his height enables him to shoot right over the defender.
Due to his impressive jump shot, Bol is great in the pick-and-pop. He isn’t the best screen setter but can knock down shots when fading to the 3-point line or mid-range area.
Bol also has spectacular ball handling skills. He can put the ball on the floor and drive into the paint, or just create more space for himself to rise up for a jumper. Most big men are poor ball handlers in the halfcourt and fullcourt, but Bol is exceptional in both situations.
Bol also makes a tremendous impact on defense. He is an elite shot blocker and averaged 2.7 blocks per game in college. Foul trouble isn’t an issue for Bol, as he only averaged 1.7 fouls per game.
Bol is not currently a switchy defender, which could be a problem in the NBA. However, due to his above average speed and agility for the center position, combined with his wingspan, Bol has lots of room to improve in that area.
Due to a season-ending foot injury, Bol only played in nine college games. In those games, he averaged 21 points and 10 rebounds in 30 minutes per contest.
The injury lowered his draft stock and raised questions about his durability, as it should have. Although lots of centers have struggled with foot injuries, many of them have recovered fully from them and have had great careers.
One good example of that is Joel Embiid. He missed the first two seasons of his career with the same foot injury Bol suffered but has now turned into one of the best centers in the NBA.
Right now, Bol is projected to be a mid-first round pick in the NBA draft. He was projected to be in the top five before his injury. If Bol can get past his foot injury and utilize his pure talent on the basketball court, then he could easily become the steal of the 2019 NBA Draft.