Fans were quick to jump in & compare Bol Bol to Victor Wembanyama after he hits the lankiest three: “Victor who”, “Bol walked so Victor could run”
Bol Bol has been playing incredible basketball for the Orlando Magic lately, and fans can't get enough of him. With his breakout season, fans were quick to compare him to the No. 1 prospect for the 2023 draft, Victor Wembanyama.
During Orlando's 109-102 loss to the Brooklyn Nets on Monday, Bol hit a transition 3-pointer late in the fourth quarter, which became a hot topic on Twitter. As a tall, lanky basketball player, not every move looks good on Bol. However, he was able to make the 3-pointer to close the gap between Orlando and Brooklyn.
Fans quickly lost their minds as they shared their reactions to Bol's 3-pointer. Many were comparing him to Wembanyama, who's also more than seven feet tall and can shoot from anywhere on the floor. Wembanyama is 7-3; Bol is 7-2.
We've collected some of the best Bol Bol fan reactions, here they are.
In the Magic's 109-102 loss, Bol Bol had 24 points and six rebounds to pair with teammate Paolo Banchero's 24 points, four rebounds and five assists. But that wasn't enough to defeat the Nets as Kevin Durant erupted for 45 points and seven rebounds.
Orlando (5-16) is currently 14th in the Eastern Conference. There's not a lot of hope for the Magic to participate in the postseason this season, as they have young guys who are still developing. Bol and Banchero are the bright spots for the team as the players continue to grow together.
Also read: Who is Bol Bol? Evaluating his career trajectory so far in the NBA
The wasted early years of Bol Bol's career
Before becoming a standout player for the Orlando Magic, Bol Bol spent his first three seasons riding the bench with the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets acquired him in the second round of the 2019 draft. Bol was projected to be a top pick, but fell to the second round at No. 44.
Things were looking bright for Bol, but he only played seven games during his rookie season. His sophomore season wasn't as impressive. Bol played 32 games, but wasn't given the right amount of minutes to kickstart his development. Bol only played 5.0 minutes a game during the 2020-21 season.
His third year was not far from his second season. The son of Manute Bol was only given 5.8 minutes a game and only suited up for 14 games last season. For a team that dealt with player injuries last season, one would think they'd let the younger guys have more playing time.
The Nuggets tried to trade him to the Detroit Pistons, but it didn't push through as Bol failed his physical examination. Bol was later traded to the Boston Celtics in January. The Celtics didn't waste their time and immediately shipped the 23-year-old to the Orlando Magic.
Now, he's getting a chance to showcase his skills in front of the Orlando crowd as part of the team's promising, young core.
Also read: Is 7-foot-2 Bol Bol a legit contender for NBA Most Improved Player award? Analyzing the Sudanese players' chances to win MIP over other candidates