You’re probably not old enough to remember Manute Bol actually playing in NBA games. The 7-foot-7 Sudanese shot-blocker played in the NBA for 10 seasons and was primarily known as the tallest player in the NBA, despite a rail-thin physique that threatened to snap every time he banged on the block. But he was also a pretty decent outside shooter, and even dropped in six three-pointers in the second half of a game against the Suns in 1993. While Manute died in 2010, his son, Bol Bol is carrying on his father’s legacy as sneaky-talented beanpoles.
Bol Bol is 6-foot-11. He’s also not graduating from high school until 2018. So, why are we all salivating over a 15-year-old? It’s not just the height. Despite legs that remind most of us of his father, he’s about as light on his feet as most guards his age. Witness this dribble spin move when a defender tried to blockade his transition.
That’s a difficult move when a defender creeps up on you, and doubly so when that defender is only up to your belly button.
But it’s not just Bol Bol’s handle that impresses; it’s also the ease with which he shoots his jumper. In the video above, there are a handful of clips where he shows off a remarkably smooth shooting form, with a natural flick of the wrist slightly lower than most players (but, again, he’s 6-foot-11). Also, check out this one-dribble pull-up from beyond the high-school arc after catching the ball in triple-threat position and showing off a little head fake.
For a 15-year-old still in the throes of puberty, and all the gawkiness that comes along with that uncoordinated age, Bol Bol’s game is remarkably polished; he made that move — one where a lot of NBA players will get whistled for traveling after picking their pivot foot early — look routine.
Here’s hoping Bol Is Life keeps improving and we get to see how his skills translate at the next level. He’s got plenty of time before he makes that step, too.
(Via Courtside Films)
