Bol Bol Discussion Thread: Long-Term Starter or Reserve?

[pepe1991]

Bol needs to fix several things in order to be more than just entertaining body on bad team:

1) playing for team. Right now he is somewhat selfish ( or just awful passer, or both ).
2) ball security. He averages 2 turnovers a game as non-ballhandler. That's painful
3) clear, defined strenght on offense, even if that means being nothing but body that stands at dunker's spot
4) defensive awarness, latheral quickness
5) defensive discipline

It's not hard to understand why he got hyped before draft. People who watch higlights only may assume he is "Wemby 2".
But on coin flip, it's not hard to actually watch him and figure why he never worked anywhere and why Nuggets in particular never played him. He is mistake waiting to happen.

[Skybox]

I'll give you mine...he has no trade value. He's a novelty who makes crazy shots and crazy blocks (usually on guards who've blown by him) because of his physical profile. He puts it on the floor after a long rebound, like an uncoachable 5th grader, and high dribbles the length of the court, ignoring all of his teammates, and crashes into a crowd of defenders. Sometimes, amazingly, it goes in. In fact, it goes in a lot more than you'd think it should. It's a lot of fun for a crappy team to unleash him and let the bench have a good ole time yukking it up when he makes a highlight reel shot. The same crazy shot that always went in, at every level, because he's just so much longer than everyone else. I don't think he's got a rotation spot on a serious team and we are on the brink of becoming a serious team.

Everyone agrees with this. But, what happens if Bol is coachable and starts playing within the team? For example, if Bol's defense goes from horrible to just-bad, he is a probable rotational on this team as it moves to a playoff contender from next year.

If Bol wants a real shot in the NBA, he needs to stop turning the ball over. That means the hero ball must end.

In the end, this is kind of his rookie year. If we see this through such a growth-lens, then we can reasonable assume Bol will get better at playing in position and at his team defensive rotations.

I have basically accepted that his miracle buckets are actually part of his game; we should expect him to continue to be efficient as a scorer in his super unorthodox manner of getting his looks.

What if Markelle starts hitting 3’s at 75%? What if Isaac plays 35 mpg for the next 10 yrs? What if AG turns into PG? What if Bamba starts making intuitive defensive reads?

Some bets are worth making (holding on longer) but we’re getting too good, too promising to keep clinging to more than a couple salvage operations at a time. These are the kind of tryouts tankers have the luxury/curse of working on.

[drsd]

Bol needs to fix several things in order to be more than just entertaining body on bad team:

1) playing for team. Right now he is somewhat selfish ( or just awful passer, or both ).
2) ball security. He averages 2 turnovers a game as non-ballhandler. That's painful
3) clear, defined strenght on offense, even if that means being nothing but body that stands at dunker's spot
4) defensive awarness, latheral quickness
5) defensive discipline

It's not hard to understand why he got hyped before draft. People who watch higlights only may assume he is "Wemby 2".
But on coin flip, it's not hard to actually watch him and figure why he never worked anywhere and why Nuggets in particular never played him. He is mistake waiting to happen.

This reminded me of:

Watch on YouTube

After all: Being tall does not mean "competent defensive player".



..

[Skybox]

Bol needs to fix several things in order to be more than just entertaining body on bad team:

1) playing for team. Right now he is somewhat selfish ( or just awful passer, or both ).
2) ball security. He averages 2 turnovers a game as non-ballhandler. That's painful
3) clear, defined strenght on offense, even if that means being nothing but body that stands at dunker's spot
4) defensive awarness, latheral quickness
5) defensive discipline

It's not hard to understand why he got hyped before draft. People who watch higlights only may assume he is "Wemby 2".
But on coin flip, it's not hard to actually watch him and figure why he never worked anywhere and why Nuggets in particular never played him. He is mistake waiting to happen.

This reminded me of:

Watch on YouTube

After all: Being tall does not mean "competent defensive player".



..

or even "basketball player" My son's HS team had two 6'9 kids...terrifying in layup lines, not so much in games...one would really have been at theater group. Both would have been happier at 6', playing DnD.

[fendilim]

I'll give you mine...he has no trade value. He's a novelty who makes crazy shots and crazy blocks (usually on guards who've blown by him) because of his physical profile. He puts it on the floor after a long rebound, like an uncoachable 5th grader, and high dribbles the length of the court, ignoring all of his teammates, and crashes into a crowd of defenders. Sometimes, amazingly, it goes in. In fact, it goes in a lot more than you'd think it should. It's a lot of fun for a crappy team to unleash him and let the bench have a good ole time yukking it up when he makes a highlight reel shot. The same crazy shot that always went in, at every level, because he's just so much longer than everyone else. I don't think he's got a rotation spot on a serious team and we are on the brink of becoming a serious team.

Everyone agrees with this. But, what happens if Bol is coachable and starts playing within the team? For example, if Bol's defense goes from horrible to just-bad, he is a probable rotational on this team as it moves to a playoff contender from next year.

If Bol wants a real shot in the NBA, he needs to stop turning the ball over. That means the hero ball must end.

In the end, this is kind of his rookie year. If we see this through such a growth-lens, then we can reasonable assume Bol will get better at playing in position and at his team defensive rotations.

I have basically accepted that his miracle buckets are actually part of his game; we should expect him to continue to be efficient as a scorer in his super unorthodox manner of getting his looks.

What if Markelle starts hitting 3’s at 75%? What if Isaac plays 35 mpg for the next 10 yrs? What if AG turns into PG? What if Bamba starts making intuitive defensive reads?

Some bets are worth making (holding on longer) but we’re getting too good, too promising to keep clinging to more than a couple salvage operations at a time. These are the kind of tryouts tankers have the luxury/curse of working on.

Lots of hypotheticals there, but the chances of them having a meteoric development is very slim. There has been only a few players that have risen like that. The latest may be Kawhi, after that, who?

You’re playing with chances there. Might as well try to cut loss and move on. Especially if you can’t afford to play with those hypotheticals.

[pepe1991]

Bol needs to fix several things in order to be more than just entertaining body on bad team:

1) playing for team. Right now he is somewhat selfish ( or just awful passer, or both ).
2) ball security. He averages 2 turnovers a game as non-ballhandler. That's painful
3) clear, defined strenght on offense, even if that means being nothing but body that stands at dunker's spot
4) defensive awarness, latheral quickness
5) defensive discipline

It's not hard to understand why he got hyped before draft. People who watch higlights only may assume he is "Wemby 2".
But on coin flip, it's not hard to actually watch him and figure why he never worked anywhere and why Nuggets in particular never played him. He is mistake waiting to happen.

This reminded me of:

Watch on YouTube

After all: Being tall does not mean "competent defensive player".



..

or even "basketball player" My son's HS team had two 6'9 kids...terrifying in layup lines, not so much in games...one would really have been at theater group. Both would have been happier at 6', playing DnD.

I have 6'9 , 270 pounds monster friend. HIs basketball skills are pitiful

[Skybox]

Everyone agrees with this. But, what happens if Bol is coachable and starts playing within the team? For example, if Bol's defense goes from horrible to just-bad, he is a probable rotational on this team as it moves to a playoff contender from next year.

If Bol wants a real shot in the NBA, he needs to stop turning the ball over. That means the hero ball must end.

In the end, this is kind of his rookie year. If we see this through such a growth-lens, then we can reasonable assume Bol will get better at playing in position and at his team defensive rotations.

I have basically accepted that his miracle buckets are actually part of his game; we should expect him to continue to be efficient as a scorer in his super unorthodox manner of getting his looks.

What if Markelle starts hitting 3’s at 75%? What if Isaac plays 35 mpg for the next 10 yrs? What if AG turns into PG? What if Bamba starts making intuitive defensive reads?

Some bets are worth making (holding on longer) but we’re getting too good, too promising to keep clinging to more than a couple salvage operations at a time. These are the kind of tryouts tankers have the luxury/curse of working on.

Lots of hypotheticals there, but the chances of them having a meteoric development is very slim. There has been only a few players that have risen like that. The latest may be Kawhi, after that, who?

You’re playing with chances there. Might as well try to cut loss and move on. Especially if you can’t afford to play with those hypotheticals.

I hope you're getting that that's my whole point...enough already with the Hallmark Channel rescue dogs

[Skybox]

This reminded me of:

Watch on YouTube

After all: Being tall does not mean "competent defensive player".



..

or even "basketball player" My son's HS team had two 6'9 kids...terrifying in layup lines, not so much in games...one would really have been at theater group. Both would have been happier at 6', playing DnD.

I have 6'9 , 270 pounds monster friend. HIs basketball skills are pitiful

Sadly (for them), their whole lives are filled with "Do you play basketball somewhere?"

Bol actually wanted to be a jockey

[pepe1991]

or even "basketball player" My son's HS team had two 6'9 kids...terrifying in layup lines, not so much in games...one would really have been at theater group. Both would have been happier at 6', playing DnD.

I have 6'9 , 270 pounds monster friend. HIs basketball skills are pitiful

Sadly (for them), their whole lives are filled with "Do you play basketball somewhere?"

Bol actually wanted to be a jockey

He can still be disco Jockey

[drsd]

He can still be disco Jockey

Watch on YouTube

[drsd]

There has been only a few players that have risen like that. The latest may be Kawhi, after that, who? .

Well, before The Klaw went in to robot mode from season five, he did win a Finals MVP before hand in year-2.

[drsd]

Sadly (for them), their whole lives are filled with "Do you play basketball somewhere?"

I read somewhere that 40% of all true 7'0" Americans will play in the NBA.

..

[HighPack]

Is Bol injured or why he is not playing?

[Skybox]

Is Bol injured or why he is not playing?

I haven't heard anything about an injury...I'm assuming it's because he's not good at basketball and the team is tightening up the rotation in preparation for trying to be good at basketball.

[RichCollab]

Bol Bol will go to Portland when they tank.

[eyriq]

Bol Bol will go to Portland when they tank.

Is he going to make a career out of being a project?

[I Rasharted]

If I could 'shop Bol's face into this scene I would:

Watch on YouTube

[Last Guardian]

We may have just gotten too good too quickly to really commit time to develop him. Last season would have been much better to throw him out there for a ton of minutes. Unless he makes great strides this summer he’s not someone you play if you intend to win. He still has great potential though.

[Rainwater]

We may have just gotten too good too quickly to really commit time to develop him. Last season would have been much better to throw him out there for a ton of minutes. Unless he makes great strides this summer he’s not someone you play if you intend to win. He still has great potential though.

At some point the potential excuse has to be thrown out the window. Its been four years now, typically by years 3 or 4 you typically know what you will get from a player or if he fulfill his potential. I don't see much of future for Bol in the league.

[Knightro]

This thread aged about as well as rotten milk