What the experts say
ESPN [$] (Jonathan Givony): 20th
The Ringer (Kevin O’Connor): 20th
Sports Illustrated (Jeremy Woo): 22nd
Sporting News (Chris Stone): 17th
The Athletic [$] (Sam Vecenie): 26th
The Stepien (Composite Rank): 18th
The Step Back (Brandon Kleen): 26th
Quotes:
In a discussion centered around which prospect outside of the projected top three has the highest ceiling, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony pointed to Bol as someone who fits the bill and why his ceiling may entice a team to target him if he does end up falling on draft night:
"“Relative to draft position, I’ll go with Bol Bol here. I went through the film recently from the nine games Bol played in college, and wow, did he do some impressive things. It’s hard to find players who are as uniquely talented as he is at 7-foot-2 with his freakish wingspan, fluid mobility and combination of footwork, ballhandling, shooting ability and timing defensively. I wouldn’t be shocked if someone traded into the second half of the first round on draft night to get him if he ends up falling, as some around the league suspect. The gulf between Bol’s ceiling and floor is perhaps as large as I’ve ever seen in the draft, even before we begin to take into account his health. It’s a truly fascinating case, and I can’t wait to see how it plays out.”"
Placing him 22nd on his most recent Big Board, Jeremy Woo of Sports Illustrated touched on the significant questions that have followed Bol as reasons why it’s hard to bet on him realizing his potential, despite his first round pick status:
"“Bol’s season-ending foot injury has made him into even more of a wild card in this draft. While in terms of sheer ability he can justify a lottery selection, the implications of foot issues for guys his size coupled with his unusually slender body type are all pointing in the wrong direction. As such, it will be difficult for many teams to justify committing a high selection here when considering the risk attached. There were already concerns stemming from his work ethic and NBA fit, and whether he can physically handle a heavy minutes load (something that’s increasingly difficult to justify for 7-foot centers). The possibility of developing Bol into a unique, floor-spacing rotation big should keep him in the first round, but it’s tough to feel overly secure about him.”"