FOR Nuni Omot, Bol Bol should be in the NBA.
But the new Magnolia import nonetheless looks forward to competing against his fellow South Sudanese player in the PBA 50th Season Commissioner’s Cup.
The 6-foot-9 Omot played his first PBA game on Friday, nearly two years after he captained the South Sudan basketball squad in the 2024 Paris Olympics as he joins a list of imports with highly-decorated resumes.
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The highly-credentialed of them all, of course, is the 7-foot-3 Bol, who will play for defending champion TNT this conference. But according to his compatriot, the son of former NBA center Manute Bol belongs in the NBA.
“Obviously, Bol Bol, he is also South Sudanese as well. Very, very, very, very, very talented player,” said Omot after his first game with Magnolia on Friday night ended in a 101-98 loss to Phoenix at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Bol played for six years in the NBA with the Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, and Phoenix Suns as a rotation player. But Omot sees Bol differently, even comparing him to the San Antonio Spurs' 7-foot-6 superstar Victor Wembanyama.
“But a lot of people fail to realize is that he’s basically a Wemby,” said the 31-year-old Omot. “He can dribble the ball. Obviously, it’s unfortunate. He should be in the NBA for sure. He is extremely talented. He is one of a kind.
“There is only two of them obviously, one being Bol Bol. I’m excited to see him. I’m excited to watch him play. I know he is going to do great."
Having previosly played in Lebanon, China, Turkey, and the G League, Omot said Bol will have to make adjustments especially with the physicality of the game in the Philippines. But with Bol’s talent, Omot is confident he can make the transition easily.
“Obviously, this is his first time overseas. So he is going to have to adjust to that. It’s a different game. And as you can tell, how physical it is as well, it’s hard for some people to adjust to that, but I know he will adjust, because he is a really good player,” said Omot.
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