The Phoenix Suns have had an eventful offseason, creating a Big 3 and adding complementary pieces, with Bol Bol being one of them.
However, Gilbert Arenas doesn’t seem too bullish about the big man’s chances of finally realizing his potential, even predicting that his tenure with the Suns will turn out as a failure.
The retired point guard passionately defended his stance, saying that while Bol is an “unstoppable talent,” the 2019 second-round pick has been a disappointment. Arenas even offered a strange metaphor in the process.
“The same thing he brings to every other team — disappointment,” he said after being asked what Bol’s future holds with the Suns. “Unstoppable talent, but he ain’t using it. Have you ever seen a really beautiful girl? She’s beautiful, got a bad attitude, right? She’s not attractive no more because of her attitude. Bol Bol is the pretty girl with a bad attitude.”
Bol started turning heads prior to the 2019 draft because of his ability to play like a guard despite being over seven feet. He was projected to be selected in the first round but slid all the way down to the No. 44 pick, with the Miami Heat trading him immediately to the Denver Nuggets. It wasn’t until the bubble in 2020 that he first suited up in an NBA game.
It’s unclear why so many organizations skipped on the University of Oregon product in the draft. However, different theories have emerged to explain the fall, including concerns about his health and attitude.
Even so, it’s evident that the 23-year-old has the talent to earn a significant role for plenty of NBA teams. Only time will tell, though, if he can disprove Arenas’ prediction and achieve that in Phoenix.
Based on Bol’s tenures with the Nuggets and Orlando Magic, some folks may argue that he has a long way to go before becoming a key rotation player for the Suns. In three seasons with Denver, he averaged just 6.2 minutes per game. Last season, he saw more playing time as part of the rebuilding Magic but was only able to put up 9.1 points and 5.8 rebounds in 21.5 minutes per contest.
Maybe playing alongside established stars like Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal can drive Bol and push him to work on his game. The Suns might need him to step up from time to time, especially because the franchise has few resources to work with to replenish the depth it lost after trading for Durant last season and Beal this offseason.
