#Bol Bol is poised to cause a lot of 2019 NBA Draft regret

Bol Bol had to wait over a year to make his first appearance for the Denver Nuggets. He’s wasted no time in showing what he’s capable of.

In his NBA debut, the 7-foot-2 rookie filled up the stat sheet, recording 16 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks in an 89-82 exhibition win over the Washington Wizards. He followed that up with 15 points, three rebounds and two blocks in a 119-104 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans.

Coming out of high school, Bol was ranked No. 4 in ESPN’s recruiting rankings, behind Duke trio RJ Barrett, Zion Williamson and Cam Reddish.

Bol Bol, the son of former NBA center Manute Bol, was expected to be a one-and-done with Oregon before becoming a lottery pick. Left foot surgery derailed his collegiate career, however, and he was limited to just nine games. He averaged 21 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in his brief time with the Ducks.

The surgery, and lingering questions about his work ethic, caused Bol to freefall in the 2019 NBA Draft. The Nuggets scooped him up with the 44th pick, but he was sidelined for the entirety of his rookie campaign until the league went on pause because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Now, 13 months after his nightmare draft night, Bol is finally showing what made him a top prospect.

“I’ve been working really hard, especially since I got here in the bubble,” Bol told reporters after the first exhibition game. “I was just trying not to be nervous, and then everything would just come to me.”

With just eight players currently available in the bubble, Nuggets coach Michael Malone has opted for an ultra-tall lineup, featuring three seven-footers on the floor at once. It has allowed Bol to flash what made him such a salivating prospect, consistently hitting threes, slashing and finishing at the rim and altering opponents’ shots all over the court.

“I can’t teach 7-[foot]-2. I can’t teach a 7-[foot]-9 wingspan, and I sure as hell can’t teach a really soft touch all the way out to the NBA 3-points line,” Malone told reporters after the first exhibition game. “So, he’s only going to get better as he gets stronger.”

Although he has received ample playing time in Denver’s warm-up games, the team expects to recoup many of the players that have brought them to the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference ahead of the seeding games that start this weekend.

Malone told reporters he does not foresee the big-man-lineup to be used in real games, likely meaning Bol will be pushed down in the rotation behind Nikola Jockic, Mason Plumlee and Paul Millsap. Michael Porter Jr.’s return will also likely cut into Bol’s minutes.

Still, Bol could be a versatile and dangerous weapon off the bench at Malone’s disposal as the team looks ahead at another playoff run.