There’s so much hype around Frenchman and projected number one 2023 draft pick Victor Wembanyama but Orlando don’t want you to forget about their very own 7-foot-2 center, Bol Bol.
Currently, 7-foot-4 Wembanyama is playing for Metropolitans 92 of the LNB Pro A, averaging 22.7 points and nine rebounds and LeBron James has called him an “alien” and “generational talent.”
In his most recent game against Strausborg on December 26, Wembanyama scored 26 points, 18 rebounds and two assists. His season high was 32 points and in every game played he hasn’t dipped below double figures in points scored.
In his college season at Oregon at 19 years old, Bol averaged 21 points and 9.6 rebounds but was a second-round 44th pick back in 2019 after only playing nine games during his freshman season due to injury.
In the NBA today, Bol is averaging 12.1 points and 7.1 rebounds in his fourth season.
Some of his moves on the court have got people shook, like when he crossed over Fred VanVleet, drove into the lane and passed it out for a three.
💫 Bol Bol with the handle and a slick dish.
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“I think he’s truly unique,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said of Bol. “You look at his size and ability to handle the basketball, his ability to run the floor. He can shoot it. He has a great basketball IQ.”
A month ago, Bol’s teammate Paolo Banchero was gassing him up big time:
“Everyone talks about the Victor dude from France,” Banchero told HoopsHype. “I’m not trying to compare them, but Bol’s 7-foot-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.”
When quizzed on Bol’s talent more recently, Banchero doubled down and reaffirmed that the Magic center is not your average player.
“Bol’s a unicorn,” Banchero told The Sporting News. “Like I tried to say, you don’t want to compare them because obviously they’re different in a lot of ways, but I think Bol Bol, he’s finally getting a chance to show his stuff and have the freedom to play his game.”
Orlando center Wendell Carter Jr. backed up Banchero’s claims that Bol can do many of the same things and it will be interesting to see what happens when the almost 20-year-old Wembanyama enters the league.
“I don’t think it’s a wild comparison at all,” Carter said. “The big thing about Victor is that he’s 7-4 and plays like a guard. Bol can do that same thing. It will be better to compare them once [Wembanyama] gets into the league. You can really get a feel for him then.”
Kevin Durant described 23-year-old Bol as “unique” and “hard to deal with” and Bol says he has always been able to do what he’s doing now, he just hasn’t had a chance to show it.
“Yeah, I had all of this,” Bol 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.”
With Orlando’s current performance on the court, they have a 9.7 percent chance of getting the number one draft pick and how CRAZY would it be to see both Bol and Wembanyama on same team, giving players Slenderman nightmares?