Bol Bol Draft Profile

Oregon fans may have not been able to see Bol play as much as they hoped but it seems that NBA scouts have seen enough. Bol is mostly projected to be a top-10 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft (according to countless mock boards) but he does have some issues with his body structure and staying healthy.

In the games that Bol did play, he proved his worth and produced. His season averages consisted of 21.0 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 2.7 BPG in 29.7 MPG. Bol also shot 56.1% from the field and 52.0% from behind the three-point line in the nine games he suited up. Those are staggering numbers from the freshman. Some naysayers would say it was against weak competition during the preseason but I believe he would have continued to put up these stats during the PAC-12 regular season.

The biggest issue with Bol is if his slim frame will be able to handle the big bodies in the NBA as well as the brutal schedule of 82 games per season. Bol has had to deal with countless injuries in both high school and his brief stint in college. The competition only gets more competitive and harsh on the body in the next level. I’m sure some NBA scouts are a bit worried about that. Some NBA Draft mock boards actually have him as low as the 30th pick for that exact reason. The 7’2”, 235 pound center will need to hit the weights and take better care of his body as he moves forward.

On the positive side, Bol is a unicorn. Think of Kristaps Porzingis. He can shoot from deep like a guard and can handle the ball similar to a guard. His insane 7’8” wingspan makes it hard for defenders to block his shot and makes it hard for opponents on offense to get a shot over him. Bol is also extremely quick and agile on both sides of the floor for his size. If Bol is ready to play with more intensity and a bigger fire in his belly, this kid is going to be hard to stop. The future for this young star shines bright especially if he continues to grow into his body and improve upon his skill set.

In my opinion, the positives outweigh the negatives and it just seems crazy for any team with a lottery pick to pass up the chance of drafting him. If I had to make a guess on which team would pick Bol Bol up, I would put my money on the New Orleans Pelicans or the Atlanta Hawks. The Pelicans need a “big name” replacement for Anthony Davis and the Hawks need a big man to complement Trae Young. I feel Bol Bol would fit perfectly in either of these NBA organizations.

*Arden Cravalho is a senior at Gonzaga University... Follow him on Twitter @a_cravalho