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2.19m tall superfreak Bol Bol is about to break the NBA

THE son of an icon has earned the title of superfreak after using his 2.34m wingspan to start a “revolution” coming to the NBA next year.

3 min read
November 3, 2018 - 11:57AM
Bol Bol is going in the first round.
Bol Bol is going in the first round.

HOW is it possible that he’s got even scarier?

It’s been two years since news.com.au first reported on teen superfreak Bol Bol and his projected path to the NBA — and two years later there’s reason to be believe the hype was entirely justified.

It only adds to the mythical nature of the star Oregon centre that there is still some conjecture over exactly how tall he really is.

Some say 7-foot-2 (2.18m). Others report he’s up to 7-foot-3 (2.21m). They all agree he’s bloody tall — and still getting taller.

The son of former NBA icon Manute Bol (who checked in at a lazy 7-foot-7) has got tongues wagging across America not just for his imposing frame, highlighted by an astonishing 7-foot-8 wingspan.

Unlike many athletic freaks that attract interest from around the world — Bol can ball.

It’s his athleticism — and not his size — that has the basketball world abuzz right now.

We couldn’t fit Bol Bol’s full wingspan in this frame.
We couldn’t fit Bol Bol’s full wingspan in this frame.

Bol this week took control of the University of Oregon’s exhibition game against Western Oregon with 19 points, eight rebounds and a highlight reel that will have NBA scouts salivating.

Highlights of his board-rattling ducks and fade-away three-point bombs went viral across America on Saturday morning (AEST). It’s not hard to see why.

Two years ago, Bol made headlines as a scrawny 6-foot-11 16-year-old who was pure potential. Now he looks ready to arrive. That scrawny kid has been replaced by a muscular, young man who has the finesse, skills, strength and game awareness to dominate college hoops.

His athleticism is the product now. His size is just a bonus.

The highlights from this one game show he has the full basketball arsenal — three-point shooting under pressure, ball-handling of a point guard and a refusal to be stopped inside the paint.

His teammates are in awe, but his coach Dana Altman wants more.

“He’s got to play a lot harder, improve his positioning, talk defensively,” Altman said after his team’s win, per The Oregonian.

“He is talented. He is skilled.

We said from the start he’s a unique player, unique talent. There’s a lot more there. He coasts a lot. But he’s getting better. He’s working at it. He’s going to be a work in progress all year but there’s a lot more that he can do.”

Naturally, Bol’s highlights left commentators clutching for superlatives.

Some have even claimed Bol has the potential to steal some of the thunder away from potential No. 1 pick at next year’s NBA Draft in Duke excitement machine Zion Williamson.

He’s also being compared to superstars Kevin Durant and Kristaps Porzingis.

It really should come as no surprise, Bol has been dropping people’s jaws since he left primary school and picked up a basketball.

Bol has a remarkably grounded perspective on his career trajectory and is committed to following the principles his dad began teaching him at a young age.

Manute Bol died in 2010 at age 47 after being treated for kidney trouble and a painful skin condition but his legacy lives on through his son.

Patrick Ewing, right, is blocked by Philadelphia 76ers' Manute Bol in a 1993 NBA game.
Patrick Ewing, right, is blocked by Philadelphia 76ers' Manute Bol in a 1993 NBA game.

“Here’s what I know. I know my dad would want me to represent my family well. I

know he would want me to pursue my interests outside of basketball, like music,

fashion and eventually, the humanitarian work that he began in Sudan,” Bol

wrote recently in an article for The Players’ Tribune.

Bol Bol was born in Sudan but moved to the US when he was two years old.

He was given a toy hoop when he was five years old and he was dunking by the time he was in grade six.

“At first I didn’t like it because my dad was always pushing me to play,” Bol told the New York Times.

“He would always travel a lot for the N.B.A. and for meetings. But sometimes I’d go with him. He taught me a lot of stuff when I was little.”

First up on Bol’s radar is March Madness where Oregon is hoping to make a splash at the NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament.

Then there is the 2019 NBA Draft in June. Who knows how scary Bol will be by then.

Originally published as 2.19m tall superfreak Bol Bol is about to break the NBA

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Original URL: https://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/us-sports/nba/219m-tall-superfreak-bol-bol-is-about-to-break-the-nba/news-story/9779e5f6484720464c47a8d9ee561383