Five-Star Center Bol Bol, Son of Manute, Commits to Oregon
Oregon couldn’t reel in the No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2018, R.J. Barrett, but it will sign the class’s top big man. Bol Bol announced on Monday that he will play for the Ducks in an article on The Players’ Tribune. The son of former NBA player Manute Bol picked Oregon over Kentucky after reportedly visiting both programs this fall.
Bol recently transferred to national powerhouse Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nev., after previous stints at Mater Dei (Calif.) High and Bishop Miege (Kans.) High. He spent part of this year playing with Shaquille O’Neal’s son, four-star power forward Shareef, in the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League with California Supreme.
Bol stands 7' 2", 220 pounds and was measured this year with a 7' 8" wingspan, but he has some perimeter skills. Over 19 games with club team California Supreme in 2017, he averaged 22 points, 9.3 rebounds and 3.9 blocks per game while connecting on 44.1% of his 59 three-point attempts.
Bol Bol, five-star son of Manute, eyes potential to exceed on-court legacy of famous father
The Recruiting Services Consensus Index, a composite that incorporates data from multiple services, pegs Bol as the No. 4 prospect in the class of 2018, behind Barrett, Spartanburg (S.C.) Day School small forward Zion Williamson and Westtown (Pa.) School small forward Cameron Reddish.
Oregon was one of three finalists for Barrett, who chose Duke on Nov. 10. But the Ducks had already nabbed a five-star small forward recruit in Hudson Catholic (N.J.) product Louis King, in addition to four-star power forward Miles Norris and four-star shooting guard Will Richardson. The addition of Bol gives Oregon one of the nation’s top classes.
Off to a 4–0 start this month, Oregon is not expected to make another deep postseason run in 2017–18 after reaching the Final Four last season; SI projects the Ducks to finish as the fourth-best team in the Pac-12. Yet this class is composed of the caliber of talent they need to remain in the running for conference championships.
