November 16, 2018 was the date I became convinced Bol Bol would be an NBA superstar.
Oregon took on Syracuse at Madison Square Garden that night. Bol went for 26 points, 9 rebounds and 4 blocks.
Watching from high above the MSG court in the upper media row, these eyes had never seen a player like Bol.
He was 7-foot-3. He was leading fast breaks. He was dunking on people. He was hitting floaters. He was stepping into and knocking down 3-pointers. He blocked or impacted almost every interior shot.
This was the future of basketball.
Somehow, Bol is still searching for his own basketball future.
On Friday, news emerged that Bol wouldn’t have his contract renewed by the Suns. He’s an NBA free agent again, a true journeyman at this point. He wasn’t even a first-round pick due to a handful of varying concerns.
Every time Bol’s name comes up, it’s hard not to think of that night at MSG.
Syracuse had a 7-foot-2 center, Paschal Chukwu, who was regarded as a solid defender.
The Orange played their patented 2-3 zone for Jim Boeheim, a defense that should’ve been able to collapse down on Bol and limit him to some extent.
But the whole night, when it wasn’t Payton Pritchard getting to the foul line, it was the Bol procession.
And oh yeah, Bol threw casually in at the end of his postgame press conference, it was his birthday.
That seemed just one ceremonial step on what would be a glorious basketball journey for the son of the 7-foot-7 Manute Bol.
But the younger Bol hasn’t stuck around anywhere in the league.
His highlight reel is still incredible. There’s still no one like Bol this side of Victor Wembanyama.
But his greatness is probably forever lost in time, suspended in mental imagery from that birthday night at the Mecca of basketball when Bol was unstoppable. That’s the way Bol should always be remembered, no matter where this next NBA step may take him.
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