What People Have Said About Bol Bol

Pistons fans are anxious to see what Bol Bol brings to The D. The long, rangy and versatile big man never got much of a chance in Denver, but that could change in Detroit. The Pistons roster is pretty devoid of talent, which might allow Bol to develop and shine. That's what most people thought when he was drafted and now it's up to the Piston coaches to get the most out of him.

"Bol was originally expected to be a lottery pick, and potentially even one of the first five names called by NBA commissioner Adam Silver on draft night in 2019. Bol towers at 7-2, and remains only 20 years old as a player undergoing a turbulent rookie season.

Bol was an under-the-radar star in college, averaging 21 points and ten rebounds per game. However, the sample size teams and scouts had to work with was very small, as he played in just nine games with the Ducks. Bol was brought in to be a long term project for a team already rich in talent up and down the depth chart." — Evan Siegel, Nugglove.com

Now, he's a project for the Pistons. If the coaching staff can bring him along, he could still end up being a steal.

"He obviously needs to hit the weight room, but 7-2 is hard to stop for anybody. He’s an easy target to pass to and he can shoot. He can put the ball on the floor and he blocks shots and hustle. Once he’s able to read and react, he’s going to be a hell of a player because he can make up so much ground offensively and defensively. It will be fun to see him in some live action.” — Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets All-Star

I'm not sure Bol will ever be able to put on weight, but as long as he's allowed to thrive at what he's good at, it shouldn't be a detriment. He is a mismatch and he can do things most players can't simply because of his length.

"Bol is clearly a talented player. If given the opportunity by the right team, he could grow into an extremely productive player. Whether he can be that player in Denver remains to be seen, but I lean no in that regard. It may take a change of scenery to unlock Bol’s skill set." — Ryan Blackburn, Denverstiffs.com

Welcome to Detroit. Bol struggled with some basic things in Denver — remembering offensive sets, simple defensive rotations and rebounding despite being 7-2 — but maybe he can start to figure it out in the 313. If he can, he'll end up being well worth the trade.

"Bol has his dad looks. He has his dad’s length. And he has an offensive game that his dad never possessed. All of that, combined with the huge chip on his shoulder he has in proving those teams who passed on him got it wrong, and Bol Bol has a bright future in the NBA." — Kyle Dalton, Sportscasting.com

People were extremely high on Bol when he entered the league. He got bit by the injury bug, was sent down the G-League and never really bounced back with the Nuggets. If the change of scenery does help, he may be able to thrive in Detroit.

"Bol’s a big, fast and athletic big man with decent hops and a dagger 3-point shot. Sure, he looked a whole lot lighter than 235 pounds during his rookie season, and some scouts questioned his long-term NBA durability, but surely some team would love to add a supersized young stretch-five center to build a fast-paced run and gun offense around, right?" — Matty Breish, Section215.com

That fast-paced, run and gun offense could be the Pistons. With young visionary guards like Killian Hayes and Cade Cunningham running the show, Bol could get a lot of unique and easy looks. At least that's the hope.

"Bol plays Kristaps Porzingis' game, but he isn't as explosive or physically solid. As long as he can stay healthy, however, Bol's coordination and touch should translate to shot-making and scoring from the elbows and wings. His defensive development will factor heavily into his future value. Becoming a stretch-five who can also protect the rim at a high level would put him in rare company. Either way, Bol's offensive skill should be enough for him to land a starting center job." — Jonathan Wasserman, Bleacher Report

That last line is obviously a little outdated at this point, but maybe not over the long haul. Bol is still just 22 years old and has a lot of hooping and developing left in him. Can he be the starting center for the Pistons down the line? He has 42 games left this season to show everyone if it's even remotely possible.