Bol Bol Commits to the University of Oregon

Eighteen-year-old five-star recruit Bol Bol, son of late NBA star Manute Bol, announced his commitment to the Oregon Ducks today. Bol ranks No. 4 on ESPN’s high school top-100 list after a strong junior season at Santa Ana Mater Dei, transferring to Findlay Prep earlier this month for his senior year. In Bol’s Players’ Tribune announcement, he explains that the decision came down to Kentucky and Oregon. Here is why he chose UO.

I’ve been thinking about my dad these last few days, while I’ve been making my college decision. I wonder what he would have done if he was alive right now. What would have been the most important factors in choosing a college? What advice would he have given me? My father had a special NBA career. What would he want for my basketball career?

Here’s what I know. I know my dad would want me to represent my family well. I know he would want me to pursue my interests outside of basketball, like music, fashion and eventually, the humanitarian work that he began in Sudan.

Most of all, I know he’d want me to be my own person.

…

I didn’t know much about the school until I started getting recruited by Oregon’s assistant coach, Tony Stubblefield. And then later by Coach Altman. Before that, I knew they had a lot of jerseys, a lot of different shoe combinations, but that was about it. But it was really those first few meetings with Coach Stubblefield that impressed me the most. He was accessible. He got to know me. He was really real with me.

And he was honest about the fact that Oregon has never really gotten a top recruit when it was between the Kentuckys and Dukes. He didn’t shy away from that. What he did was lay out the vision they had for me.

To read his full announcement, follow this link. Bol is a unique shooter for a player of his elite size and should be a good fit within the Oregon offense.