A closer look at Bol Bol as a possible Celtics draftee


Most NBA analysts don't know quite what to make of this youngster. Bol Bol has some huge pluses, starting with his 7'2", 236-lb. frame. No one doubts his rim protection and shot blocking. Like his 7'7", 200-lb. father, the late Manute Bol, he seems to block everything that comes his way.




Bol also has a 3-point shot and can put the ball on the floor. He is fluid, mobile and has soft hands, but he is not a passer - not particularly quick - and doesn't project well as a switch defender at the NBA level. Also, his motor and toughness need work.





Bol can currently be found on mock drafts in the low-to-high teens. He will definitely drift because of a foot injury that ended his college season. I must admit to being leery of big men with foot issues. At least early in his NBA career, he will get out-muscled a lot in the post. But he is only 19 years old and can add strength and muscle. His father had a long career in the NBA, and the son is certainly more skilled than dad, with a better NBA frame.

I can't envision Danny Ainge taking Bol at the #14 spot, but it could happen at #20. In the right environment, he may thrive. He is raw, but at 7'2" with a 7'8" wingspan, he will somewhere in the first round. We just don't know where.

Note: Latest info today from the NBA Combine in Chicago is that Bol weighed in at 208 pounds, down 26 pounds from his weight last August. That is a point of concern.

Follow Tom at @CelticsSentinel and Facebook

Photo via Eric Evans
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