Bol Bol

[nolang1]

In the interests of this thread being more than "I told you so" and "Did Not" at this point, is there a lesson to be learned in comparing Poku and Bol Bol?

http://www.tankathon.com/players/compare?players=aleksej-pokusevski--bol-bol

Pokusevski is much more mobile and a better team defender. Offensively if you aren’t buying Bol as an efficient #1 option, Pokusevski with his great passing is better as a complementary player. Being over a year younger (relative to their drafts) than Bol is pretty significant, and it’s definitely better to have had no major injuries than to have a navicular bone fracture that was going to rule out any contributions for at least year 1 (a normal season would be long completed by now).

[EvanZ]

In the interests of this thread being more than "I told you so" and "Did Not" at this point, is there a lesson to be learned in comparing Poku and Bol Bol?

http://www.tankathon.com/players/compare?players=aleksej-pokusevski--bol-bol

I think people are too focused on comparing Poku directly to Bol Bol in terms of their game, but the real lesson here is simply about being more willing to take some risk. We don't have all the intel teams have on Bol, but it sure seems like he should have gone earlier. Teams are going pass on Poku for some pretty boring prospects in the long run because he's too "risky". I just subscribe to the philosophy that the Draft tends to work when you take "good risks".

[MemphisX]

I like Poku for the same reasons I liked Bol. 7 footers that can move, shoot and block shots are valuable. The meausring stick should not be Porzingas who is a movement freak of nature. I think being able to have two bigs that can space the floor and stay on the court if teams go small is so valuable. I would kill for Memphis to get one to put next to Jaren Jackson just so Ja could have a wide open court.

[clyde21]

In the interests of this thread being more than "I told you so" and "Did Not" at this point, is there a lesson to be learned in comparing Poku and Bol Bol?

http://www.tankathon.com/players/compare?players=aleksej-pokusevski--bol-bol

Pokusevski is much more mobile and a better team defender..

of course, this is based on absolutely nothing.

[clyde21]

and people talk about Porzingis as if he didn't just miss 2 straight years due to injuries himself

[nolang1]

In the interests of this thread being more than "I told you so" and "Did Not" at this point, is there a lesson to be learned in comparing Poku and Bol Bol?

http://www.tankathon.com/players/compare?players=aleksej-pokusevski--bol-bol

Pokusevski is much more mobile and a better team defender..

of course, this is based on absolutely nothing.

No, I’d say the vast majority of people who have seen the two would agree with that; it’s the difference between moving well for a 7’3 player (so, better than Boban sure) and moving well in general. Even people who haven’t seen the two play would be able to figure that out simply based on which player is considered a center and which one is a combo forward. From there it comes down to how much you value offense versus defense and then how much you think defensive value comes from shot-blocking versus everything else, but they’re different enough of players that it’s not remotely difficult in most cases to point out which one is better at a certain aspect of the game.

[EvanZ]

I like Poku for the same reasons I liked Bol. 7 footers that can move, shoot and block shots are valuable. The meausring stick should not be Porzingas who is a movement freak of nature. I think being able to have two bigs that can space the floor and stay on the court if teams go small is so valuable. I would kill for Memphis to get one to put next to Jaren Jackson just so Ja could have a wide open court.

Poku moves better than Porzingis. Poku basically moves like a guard.

[No-Man]

Comparing Poku and Bol is beyond idiotic, Poku understands basketball way better and has otherwordly movement skills

Bol has bad movement skills people, he is agile for a giant sure, but he is stiff, has a terrible body frame to gain requisited weight/strength, and he is slow laterally, I really don't get the comp whatsoever

Poku and Jaren yes

[Richard4444]

Bol Bol is RFA next offseason. I wonder how much he worths. Will some team give him a offer sheet?

Denver could have trouble to keep Milsap, Craig, Grant, Mason, Bol Bol. Are they going to avoid luxury taxes?

[BlazersBroncos]

Poku may have the most natural movement skills I have seen from a 7 foot guy in the last 10+ years. Its freaky.

Comparing him and Bol is a waste of time, they are tremendously different players. I think Bol is a center only, a guy that can stretch the floor and feast on weakside blocks but may never have the frame to be a big minute player. Something like a supercharged Wang ZhiZhi. Poku is closer to Kukoc in his offensive smoothness for his size.

[clyde21]

Comparing Poku and Bol is beyond idiotic, Poku understands basketball way better and has otherwordly movement skills

Bol has bad movement skills people, he is agile for a giant sure, but he is stiff, has a terrible body frame to gain requisited weight/strength, and he is slow laterally, I really don't get the comp whatsoever

Poku and Jaren yes

you puff your chest out way too often for a dude that's dumbfoundingly wrong so much

[EMG518]

Comparing Poku and Bol is beyond idiotic, Poku understands basketball way better and has otherwordly movement skills

Bol has bad movement skills people, he is agile for a giant sure, but he is stiff, has a terrible body frame to gain requisited weight/strength, and he is slow laterally, I really don't get the comp whatsoever

Poku and Jaren yes

you puff your chest out way too often for a dude that's dumbfoundingly wrong so much

It's really not a stretch to compare the two. Poku definitely moves better with and without the ball but still not a stretch.

[King Ken]

Comparing Poku and Bol is beyond idiotic, Poku understands basketball way better and has otherwordly movement skills

Bol has bad movement skills people, he is agile for a giant sure, but he is stiff, has a terrible body frame to gain requisited weight/strength, and he is slow laterally, I really don't get the comp whatsoever

Poku and Jaren yes

Bol Bol is a lot more talented than Poku. Bertans moves better than Bol. He moves like a guard but come on, Bol is freakishly talented.

[TB]

I've had Poku top 5 in this draft since he was barely listed on 2nd round mocks... and even I feel like people need to pump the brakes on his movement or athleticism lol.

In no way is Poku like a guard or wing athleticism wise. The hope with him is that he is an average or slightly above average athlete for a 4/5.... because if he can manage that, he's going to be WAY ahead of most 4/5s when it comes to IQ and skills.

As for the Bol/Poku comparison, I see it as more of a general unicorn type of similarity that you don't want to pass on even if there are risks. Versus comparing them on specifics to their skillsets and role.

[EvanZ]

Comparing Poku and Bol is beyond idiotic, Poku understands basketball way better and has otherwordly movement skills

Bol has bad movement skills people, he is agile for a giant sure, but he is stiff, has a terrible body frame to gain requisited weight/strength, and he is slow laterally, I really don't get the comp whatsoever

Poku and Jaren yes

Bol Bol is a lot more talented than Poku. Bertans moves better than Bol. He moves like a guard but come on, Bol is freakishly talented.

When you say "more talented", in what ways? Skill-wise, I mean. He's not a better passer or ball-handler. He's arguably a better shooter right now, but not so much better that it's out of the realm of possibility Poku gets there. And Poku shoots off movement.

[clyde21]

Comparing Poku and Bol is beyond idiotic, Poku understands basketball way better and has otherwordly movement skills

Bol has bad movement skills people, he is agile for a giant sure, but he is stiff, has a terrible body frame to gain requisited weight/strength, and he is slow laterally, I really don't get the comp whatsoever

Poku and Jaren yes

Bol Bol is a lot more talented than Poku. Bertans moves better than Bol. He moves like a guard but come on, Bol is freakishly talented.

When you say "more talented", in what ways? Skill-wise, I mean. He's not a better passer or ball-handler. He's arguably a better shooter right now, but not so much better that it's out of the realm of possibility Poku gets there. And Poku shoots off movement.

Bol's a much better shooter, not talking about just 3 pt shooting but 3 level scoring/shooting in general, Bol's got a much higher apex on his shots, better mid-range, turn-around Js, better around the rim too, and I'm much more confident in Bol's defense than I am Poku's tbh, especially rim & paint protection

i'd give passing/dribbling edge to Poku I guess but that's because he just plays way smaller than Bol, Poku doesn't really play 7 feet at all, Bol does

[King Ken]

Comparing Poku and Bol is beyond idiotic, Poku understands basketball way better and has otherwordly movement skills

Bol has bad movement skills people, he is agile for a giant sure, but he is stiff, has a terrible body frame to gain requisited weight/strength, and he is slow laterally, I really don't get the comp whatsoever

Poku and Jaren yes

Bol Bol is a lot more talented than Poku. Bertans moves better than Bol. He moves like a guard but come on, Bol is freakishly talented.

When you say "more talented", in what ways? Skill-wise, I mean. He's not a better passer or ball-handler. He's arguably a better shooter right now, but not so much better that it's out of the realm of possibility Poku gets there. And Poku shoots off movement.

Skill, the ability to do extremely hard **** very easy. Trae Young is extremely skilled. CP3, Kyrie, Durant, etc. Bol is supremely skilled. Poku is extremely gifted and blessed physically but Bol is supremely skilled and extremely talented for his size.

[doordoor123]

Poku may have the most natural movement skills I have seen from a 7 foot guy in the last 10+ years. Its freaky.

Comparing him and Bol is a waste of time, they are tremendously different players. I think Bol is a center only, a guy that can stretch the floor and feast on weakside blocks but may never have the frame to be a big minute player. Something like a supercharged Wang ZhiZhi. Poku is closer to Kukoc in his offensive smoothness for his size.

Bol is a power forward on the right team. His size and fluidity make him a great weak side defender.

[No-Man]

Bol can only play NBA defense in the middle of a zone

Bol has stupid touch but he doesn't project to be a better shooter than Poku, in the slightest, there is a difference there

Bol is really skilled and is a special player for his size, but his limitations in terms of mobility, functional strength and to be honest, approach, are there, he can still have a solid career (I had him early 20s IIRC last year so I wasn't out out on him) but this superstar or star talks are ridiculous

[BlazersBroncos]

Bol can only play NBA defense in the middle of a zone

Bol has stupid touch but he doesn't project to be a better shooter than Poku, in the slightest, there is a difference there

Bol is really skilled and is a special player for his size, but his limitations in terms of mobility, functional strength and to be honest, approach, are there, he can still have a solid career (I had him early 20s IIRC last year so I wasn't out out on him) but this superstar or star talks are ridiculous

I think this is mostly accurate. I dont think Bol can defend in space, he would do best against archaic PF's that allow him to cheat off and get weakside blocks, but that position doesnt really exist in this league anymore. He needs to defend centers at this point IMO, but even then if you iso him in the post he is going to get steamrolled. Think of what a Jusuf Nurkic could do to him on a postup. I would give him a better chance against a peremiter PF hoping his length negates and blow bys than using him to man guard a center.

The touch Bol has on offense is simply special though. I dont think I have seen a 7'2 player in my lifetime have such a soft touch off the dribble. But I still think he is a backup scoring big man rather than a well rounded full time starter. He can prove me wrong, and I am past the point of worrying about aproach. He seems shy and a bit different, but that isnt anything to knock a kid on. He can play, thats what matters.