Bol Bol thinks he's always had the ability to be a good player.
Orlando Magic forward Bol Bol has been one of the league's breakout players this season, showing a little bit of everything offensively: ballhandling, shot creation, and 3PT shooting. He is also a tremendous shot blocker, averaging 1.8 BPG this season.
There's no doubt that many people would agree that Bol Bol has improved a lot, now that he is getting extended minutes with the Orlando Magic. However, Bol Bol has recently claimed that he's always been able to do "all of this" adding that he just hadn't had the opportunity "to show it". Mike Vorkunov of The Athletic relayed the news.
Bol claims he has always been able to do all this. Now, he just gets a chance to do it, over and over again, bending preconceived notions of what can be done at that size.
“Yeah, I had all of this,” he told The Athletic. “It’s just I haven’t really been able to show it because I’ve been on the bench for the last couple of years. Now that they’ve given me the opportunity, I’ve just been trying to get better each game and I think it’s been showing.”
Sometimes, all players need is an extended run to show what they can do. It is good to see Bol Bol thrive on the Orlando Magic since getting traded by the Denver Nuggets, and hopefully, he continues to perform well for the team.
Bol Bol Has Been Compared To Victor Wembanyama
Victor Wembanyama has been the most hyped prospect since Zion Williamson, and many believe that he can dominate the NBA for years to come. Some, such as Paolo Banchero believe that Bol Bol is similar to Victor Wembanyama due to him also being "a freak of nature".
“Everyone talks about the Victor dude from France. I’m not trying to compare them, but Bol’s 7’2, shoots threes, brings it up the court, makes passes, and blocks shots. I feel like people kind of forget about him, but Bol’s a freak of nature.”
There is a high chance that Victor Wembanyama ends up being better than Bol Bol as a player. However, the similarities in their style are very apparent, and Bol Bol has a high ceiling as a player.
The Orlando Magic have been assembling a squad with lots of length and size, and Bol Bol fits right into their team-building Philosophy. The Orlando Magic could end up as a dominant team in the future, and we'll see if Bol Bol can develop into a star.
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