Phoenix Suns 7-footer Bol Bol gets opportunity vs. Blazers, delivers highlight dunk, strong play

Bol Bol still fully believes in his ability to play in the NBA despite logging limited minutes so far this season with the Phoenix Suns.

“I haven’t been able to show it, but I still have all the same confidence,” Bol said before Monday’s game against Portland. “I know what I’m capable of doing when given a chance.”

The 7-foot-3 big with guard skills showed that unique talent in his open court, two-handed dunk between two Portland defenders in the first half against the Trail Blazers at Footprint Center.

Bol Bol finished with 11 points on 4-of-6 shooting and nine rebounds in 20 minutes, all season highs in the 109-98 win before a sellout crowd of 17,071 that can't get enough of the 7-footer.

"I love it," Suns star guard Bradley Beal said. "I think the fans love him for the fact that he's a huge being that is very talented and they love to see him a lot more on the floor. Trust me, we all feel the same way. He's an unbelievable talent and our league is all about opportunity. Just getting a chance, getting minutes and he showed you what he's capable of doing."

He came into the game with six points on 3-of-5 shooting and four rebounds through eight games in 19 minutes.

"It felt pretty good," Bol Bol said after the game. "Had a lot of energy. The crowd was loud out there and most importantly, we got a win."

His open court dunk was the highlight of his best game with the Suns (18-15), winners of four straight games.

"Impressive," Suns star Devin Booker about Bol. "So happy for him. He's part of that stay ready group. They get bump in every day, they scrimmage each other and they compete against each other. To go out there and do it against another team was super important."

Getting the ball off what looked like a deflection, but was ruled an assist from Beal, Bol started up the court with Skylar Mays and Malcolm Brogdon getting back for the Blazers.

As Bol dribbled into the painted area, Mays jumped too early and Bol took a giant step around him.

Then Brogdon jumped, but had zero chance of blocking the flush as Bol pulled himself up on the rim before landing onto the court.

The Blazers called a timeout as Bol’s dunk pulled Phoenix within three, 33-30, with 8:42 left in the half as the crowd went crazy for the fan favorite.

"The crowd loves him so much," Suns 7-footer Jusuf Nurkic said.

That was part of a 14-0 Phoenix run to go up 38-33 lead midway through the second quarter.

Bol later hit a 3 to finish the half with five points on 2-of-2 shooting and, four rebounds and three fouls in eight minutes.

"Now we just have to build on that consistency," Beal said. "Obviously predicated on matchups and things like that moving forward, but Bol is a pro and he can help contribute to the success of the team just like anybody. He had an easy double-double darn near. He's more than capable."

With Kevin Durant missing Monday’s game with right hamstring soreness, Bol got an opportunity to play, but Suns coach Frank Vogel indicated before the game he earned a chance to get some action.

“We’ve seen him a lot behind closed doors,” Vogel said. “There are things we want him working on in terms of how he plays and his reaction and execution of our system. He’s one of those guys in the pickup games, we continue to watch and evaluate. They’re not pointless games just to stay in shape. We’re coaching him through those things and he’s strung together really solid few weeks in some of those pickup games.”

Bol had only played five minutes in an NBA game once, Dec. 12 against Golden State.

“When he plays with discipline, his talent is able to shine,” Vogel continued. “He’s had some good moments for us and we’ll give him a look.”

After Monday's win, Vogel gave Bol props for not only his effort, but his progress as a player.

"He's been working really hard to play the game with discipline," he said. "Low fouls, low turnovers, shot selection, all those types of things. He obviously has a lot of talent and has great length. I thought he played a really solid game. He got five fouls, but I thought three of them were bad calls. Not looking to get fined, but he played well. We were really happy to give him an opportunity and really happy that he took advantage of it and played a hell of a basketball game."

Bol said he’s been putting in the “extra work” to see some minutes.

“Attention to detail and just the little things,” Bol said. “I feel like that’s been helping me. I think that’s what (Vogel) been seeing out of me the past few weeks.”

Bol added he’s just looked to “stay ready” for his chance.

“It’s the NBA,” he said. “Not everything is always going to go your way.”

Signing with Phoenix as a free agent in the offseason, Bol was coming off a career year at Orlando in averaging 9.1 points on 54.6% shooting and 5.8 rebounds.

“There are so many things he did,” Magic coach Jamahl Mosley said about Bol before Sunday’s game Phoenix won, 112-107, at Footprint Center.

“Defensively, his length. He definitely deflected so many shots. His presence and being able to try to block shots at the rim. He was able to switch at times and that's what people don’t understand. He can sit down and guard in so many ways. Offensively, there’s things that he did that you didn’t know what he was going to do because he has so many gifts and skills and talents in that regard.”

Bol played in a career-best 70 games in his one season with the Magic.

“He was very good for us in the time that we had him,” Mosley continued. “Getting to know him and being around him, when he cracks that smile, he looks like there’s a joy behind just wanting to be on the floor.”

Mosley felt Bol was going to get another chance to play for the Suns this season.

“In so many situations, he’s looking at KD, you have (Jusuf Nurkic),” Mosley said. “So there’s situations he’s behind different types of players and he’ll get his opportunity. Learning and continuing to be patient in those times. With us, there were times with injury, there were times we played different lineups in trying to see what those lineups looked like. He just continues to stay patient, continue to work, and he’s going to get an opportunity.”

This is Bol's third NBA team in five seasons as he started his career with the Denver Nuggets in the 2019-20 season. He was a second-round pick out of Oregon in the 2019 draft.

Have opinions about the current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.

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