Bol Bol suited up for his first game with the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday and he didn’t disappoint. He was so good the NBA had to drug test him immediately after the game.
What We Know:
- The NBA returned to televised action on Wednesday with exhibition scrimmages. The NBA won’t have official games until July 30, but these scrimmages allow players to acclimate to NBA competition and fans to get a taste of what they’ve been missing for the last four months.
- The Denver Nuggets played the Washington Wizards on the first day of scrimmages and head coach Mike Malone used it as an opportunity to unleash Bol Bol on the league. Bol wowed fans watching from home with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 blocks. He gave us a glimpse of his ridiculous potential, terrorizing the Wizards with his height and shooting ability.
- The NBA reportedly scheduled the random drug test before the game and not in response to his performance. Twitter users had fun with the information and did what they do best: memed it. Although the NBA had already planned the drug test for Bol, the timing does seem a little suspect.
- Bol did not play a minute of NBA basketball before the 2019-2020 season was suspended for the coronavirus pandemic. He spent most of the season recovering from a foot injury and the Nuggets had him playing in the NBA G League.
- Bol impressed NBA scouts while he was at the University of Oregon, averaging 21 points, 2.7 blocks, and shot over 50% on 3 pointers, all while standing 7’2″. Height seems to run in the family. Bol’s father, former player Manute Bol, was 7’7″ and the tallest player in NBA history. Despite Bol’s height and skill, he slid in the 2019 NBA Draft due to injury concerns. The Miami Heat selected him with the 44th pick and traded him to the Nuggets.
The Nuggets are the 3rd seed in the West and have serious championship aspirations, so it’s unclear whether Bol will get serious playing time when the season restarts. Nevertheless, Bol put on a show in his debut and the Nuggets might have a future star on their hands.
