Golden State Warriors may regret passing on Bol Bol

The Golden State Warriors may regret passing on Bol Bol

BROOKLYN, NY - JUNE 20: Bol Bol is interviewed after being drafted by the Miami Heat during the 2019 NBA Draft on June 20, 2019 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Ryan McGilloway/NBAE via Getty Images) /

3 of 5

(Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Scouting report

To overreact to minuscule sample size, Bol had a 21 PPG season with a 63% true shooting rating, whilst averaging 52% from the three-point line on almost three attempts a night. I mean, what?!

He can also hit his free-throws at a very respectable rate (just over 75%), while averaging almost three blocks per game. Again, it is a small sample size, but the young man has transcendent potential if not for the lingering threat of injury.

Foot injuries can spell impending doom for men of his size, so it would have been a risk that was deemed not worth taking for any of the teams picking in the lottery. Even with the Warriors’ 28th pick, there would have been legitimate concerns. But is there such thing as a risky mid-second round pick?

It is unlikely that any of the 2019 draftees will be immediately effective. As a comparison, it took Draymond Green and Kevon Looney, two late first/early second round picks, three years to make their impressions felt on the roster. Looney also spent the early period of his career with worrying injury concerns.

So, if every pick made on Thursday is going to take time for the Warriors to reap their rewards, and Bol Bol could certainly benefit from training full-time with an NBA team for a season, rehabilitate fully and maybe bulk up in the process, would the risk not have been worth it at #41?

Home/Warriors Draft