Bol Bol Falls to Nuggets at No. 44 in NBA Draft

Bol Bol was among the tallest players in college basketball this season, standing at 7'2''.

Andy Nelson, Associated Press

The Nuggets selected Oregon center Bol Bol with the No. 44 pick in the 2019 NBA draft. 

The Henderson, Nev., native was among the tallest players in college basketball this season, standing at 7'2''. After being ranked the No. 4 recruit in the class of 2018 and receiving multiple offers from programs around the country, Bol decided to stay somewhat close to home and attend Oregon. 

Bol Bol's college career was cut short just a couple days into January after he received news of a non-displaced fracture of the navicular bone in his left foot. He would stay out for the remainder of the season and play just nine games in college. 

In those nine games, Bol averaged 21 points (shooting 56.1%) and 9.6 rebounds. 

SI NBA draft expert Jeremy Woo's breakdown: Bol’s season-ending foot injury has made him into even more of a wild card in this draft. While in terms of sheer ability he can justify a lottery selection, the implications of foot issues for guys his size coupled with his unusually slender body type are all pointing in the wrong direction. As such, it will be difficult for many teams to justify committing a high selection here when considering the risk attached. There were already concerns stemming from his work ethic and NBA fit, and whether he can physically handle a heavy minutes load (something that’s increasingly difficult to justify for 7-foot centers). The possibility of developing Bol into a unique, floor-spacing rotation big should keep him in the first round, but it’s tough to feel overly secure about him.