Magic Big Man Bol Bol: Most 'Unique' Player in NBA?
ORLANDO - When the late Manute Bol drilled six three-pointers in the first half against the Phoenix Suns in 1993, he certainly didn't know where the basketball world was heading.
Standing at 7-6 or 7-7 (depending on who you ask), the elder Bol was a dominant defensive force over his ten-year NBA tenure - leading the league in blocks twice over that span.
But during the early 1990s, the league was dominated by midrange and interior scoring and a big reason why Bol started just 133 of his 624 career games.
Just looking at the top five of MVP voting for the 1992-1993 season (Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, Michael Jordan, Patrick Ewing and Dominique Wilkins), all worthy Hall of Famers, but a big shift into the type of play we see today.
And while that was a once-in-a-lifetime showing for him from long range (21% three-pointer shooter on 43 career makes), it laid the foundation for the type of player his son would be.
"He's just a freak, I don't know it's hard to really describe," Terrence Ross said in October before the Magic's regular season tipoff. "[7-2], moves like a guard, shoot three's, light on his feet. It's hard, nobody's ever seen anybody play like this."
Coming out of high school as the No. 4 player in the Class of 2018, Bol was projected as a sure-fire lottery pick after his inevitable one-and-done season at Oregon.
And it certainly looked that way in the early stages of his freshman campaign, averaging 21 points, 9.6 rebounds and over two blocks per game in the first nine contests of the season.
But arguably the most impressive was the versatility he showed on both ends of the floor - reminiscent of his late father's game.
Unfortunately, a fractured foot sidelined Bol for the remainder of the season - impacting his draft stock mightily in the process.
Once thought to be a lock for the lottery, the then-teenager slid all the way to the No. 44 pick where he was picked by the Miami Heat before a trade sent him to the Denver Nuggets in exchange for a 2022 second-round pick.
Over his time in Denver, there were glimpses of what basketball gurus witnessed at Oregon and the high school level - showcasing his ability to go coast-to-coast after rejecting a shot on the other end.
But playing time was hard to come by for a Nuggets team trying to compete for a title, playing just 53 games over his first three seasons.
After a failed trade to the Detroit Pistons, Bol was eventually dealt to the Boston Celtics, but before ever suiting up, another trade sent him to Orlando for a protected second-round pick.
Now in 2022, five years removed his high school days at Mater Dei High School, the 23-year-old has revived his career with a young Magic roster.
"Everyone talks about the [Victor Wembanyama] from France," teammate Paolo Banchero said. "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.”
Averaging 12.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and nearly two blocks over 25 games this season, Bol has started nearly every game for Orlando after registering just two in his first three seasons.
"Revealing how a 7-foot-2 wonder can be so skilled but also still revealing what he can be in the NBA," The Athletic wrote. "Orlando is the first team to give him legit NBA minutes, and Bol is a low-key NBA Most Improved Player candidate. The Magic can use him in their big skill-ball lineups, and he’s shown aptitude in his perimeter shooting and ball handling. Not a bad return from a player who had just 328 NBA minutes over his first three seasons."
Just last week, Orlando squared off against the Brooklyn Nets and another seven footer with the ability to stretch the floor - Kevin Durant.
Despite the 109-102 loss, Bol finished with one of his best showings as a professional, ending with 24 points, six rebounds and two blocks while shooting 10 of 15 from the field and 3 of 6 from long range.
"He's unique, he's tough to deal with," Durant said. "You see his confidence growing by the game. He can pretty much do anything on the floor on the basketball court.
"He's great for the league, I think we'll start to see him continue to be more and more of an impact player as time goes on."
Bol has seen his odds to win Most Improved Player of the Year skyrocket since the season began.
Opening the year as a long shot at +25000 odds, the big man has now cracked the top-five according to VegasInsider sitting at +3000.
Even if he doesn't walk away with the award at season's conclusion, Orlando seems to have added another building block for its future.
You can follow Riley Sheppard on Twitter @RileyDSheppard.
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