"With the 30th pick in the 2019 Draft, Portland takes..."

[BlazerCaravan]

Bol Bol

[video=youtube;e23RE0aONr8]


Says Deadspin:

When basketball legend Manute Bol passed away in 2010, he left behind 10 children. Bol Bol, one of his sons, is in seventh grade and already 6'5". And yes, he plays basketball. In the above video from a recent camp in Indianapolis, the gangly Bol resembles a middle-school version of his father. Considering Manute claimed his parents were nearly seven feet tall (and his great-grandfather was allegedly 7'10"), we don't think Bol is done growing yet.

 

[Mediocre Man]

So after winning the 2018 championship we draft a center that will dominate the paint defensively and launch ugly ass 3's?

 

[Boob-No-More]

He's already got a better handle than his dad ever had. Unfortunately, at "only" 6'5" in 7th grade, I don't think he'll be nearly a tall as his dad was - maybe 7' to 7'2", but not 7'7". And, if Manute would have been "only" 7', he never would have made it to the NBA. It was his freakish height and wing span that allowed him to be an elite shot blocker - a one tick pony, but a valuable enough trick to get drafted and hang around the league as a shot blocking specialist.

Also, from the clip, it looks like he has no vertical at all. Kareem was 6'5" in 7th grade, and could dunk. This kid seems exceptionally earthbound.

BNM

 

[MickZagger]

He's already got a better handle than his dad ever had. Unfortunately, at "only" 6'5" in 7th grade, I don't think he'll be nearly a tall as his dad was - maybe 7' to 7'2", but not 7'7". And, if Manute would have been "only" 7', he never would have made it to the NBA. It was his freakish height and wing span that allowed him to be an elite shot blocker - a one tick pony, but a valuable enough trick to get drafted and hang around the league as a shot blocking specialist.

Also, from the clip, it looks like he has no vertical at all. Kareem was 6'5" in 7th grade, and could dunk. This kid seems exceptionally earthbound.

BNM

You must have forgot about Manut's 3 point shot?

 

[Further]

an American between 6’6″ and 6’8″ being an NBA player today stands at a mere 0.07%, it’s a staggering 17% for someone 7 feet or taller.

link

almost one in 5 Americans that are 7' or taller, and between the age of 20 and 40 are in the NBA. So, if bol is just 7', which seems quite possible, he will likely make it to the NBA especially since he will also have a lifetime of playing basketball and come from a family that values the game. You just can't teach height.

 

[Fez Hammersticks]

Looking that far ahead, I'd rather look at Sabonis' son:

[video=youtube;V7weIKskg10]

 

[julius]

that kid needs a lot of work on his form.

 

[Boob-No-More]

You must have forgot about Manut's 3 point shot?

No, I didn't. Manute had a career 3FG% of .210. Nellie indulged Manute by letting him fire up 3-pointers during blowouts, since he couldn't score from anywhere else.

That brings to mind two great quotes (paraphrased) about Manute:

Don Nelson on Manute's defense: Manute Bol is the greatest defensive player in history. He totally disrupts the offense at both ends of the court.

Charles Barkley on Manute's 1.9ppg scoring average: My grandmother could score 2 points a game... if she wasn't double-teamed.

BNM

 

[Sedatedfork]

No, I didn't. Manute had a career 3FG% of .210. Nellie indulged Manute by letting him fire up 3-pointers during blowouts, since he couldn't score from anywhere else.

That brings to mind two great quotes (paraphrased) about Manute:

Don Nelson on Manute's defense: Manute Bol is the greatest defensive player in history. He totally disrupts the offense at both ends of the court.

Charles Barkley on Manute's 1.9ppg scoring average: My grandmother could score 2 points a game... if she wasn't double-teamed.

BNM

I always loved this story about Manute

Douglas said Manute had one day told him that he wanted “an electric train.” He drove Manute to the toy store, an excursion that was magical in itself for the Dinka. But when he showed Manute the electric trains, his friend protested that was not what he wanted. He wanted an electric train that was pushed around to clean the house. Douglas, just out of college himself, finally figured out that Manute wanted a vacuum cleaner.

It's amazing to me the culture shock he must have had coming to America to play in the NBA. And the fact he gave away almost all of his money is amazing too. I hope that his son does well.

 

[Boob-No-More]

And the fact he gave away almost all of his money is amazing too. I hope that his son does well.

He was a true humanitarian. Which brings to mind two more quotes from his friend Charles Barkley:

"But I’ll tell you this—if everyone in the world was a Manute Bol, it’s a world I’d want to live in."

"The world is not a better place today; It's worse because we don't have Manute Bol."

BNM

 

[oldmangrouch]

Bump.

Looks like Bol-Bol will go a lot higher than #30....though as a Duck fan I find the hype about him damn silly. He is the king of empty stats on a team playing way below preseason expectations.

 

[Orion Bailey]

Bump.

Looks like Bol-Bol will go a lot higher than #30....though as a Duck fan I find the hype about him damn silly. He is the king of empty stats on a team playing way below preseason expectations.

The little ive seen he is underwhelming. As amazing a specimen Manute was, he was not an impact player in the nba and i dont see Bol being one either.

 

[TBpup]

30th pick? I like the optimism.

 

[hoopsjock]

30th pick? I like the optimism.

Well San Antonio currently has Toronto's pick which is 30th. How do we get it from SA? Even if we did acquire it what if Toronto doesn't finish 1st? I'm fairly certain we could trade our 20th pick for it straight up at the draft.

"Look, the 30th pick means you finished with the best record and we accomplished getting that pick."