Shams Charania: Denver Nuggets forward Bol Bol has decided to undergo surgery on his foot and will be sidelined for 8-to-12 weeks, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. Bol’s trade to Detroit was voided last week because of issue with physical exam.
More on Bol Bol Injury
Michael Singer: What I know: The #Nuggets believed Bol was healthy. Michael Malone said so. Bol went to Detroit via the trade, failed a physical and opted for foot surgery. This is where we're at right now.
Harrison Wind: Nuggets assigned two-way player PJ Dozier to the Windy City Bulls, the team announced yesterday. Bol Bol, who’s also under a two-way contract with Denver, will be assigned to the G League too once he’s fully cleared, which I’m told could be sometime in the next month.
Harrison Wind: On the Bol Bol front, the Nuggets’ rookie was asked this morning if he’s been cleared for preseason. Bol said he hasn’t.
He was touted as a top-five talent for the NBA Draft but went 44th over concerns about his foot. "Everything is perfect. Everything has fully healed," Bol said. "I've been working out in the morning and coming back at night." When it comes to the hectic game and travel schedule, Bol vows: "I'll be ready for when the season starts. I'll be ready for all of that."
Bol played in nine games for Oregon before suffering an ankle injury in mid-December and an eventual stress fracture in his foot that would sideline him indefinitely and end his collegiate playing career. "My foot is 100 percent healed," Bol said Thursday night. "I just recently started to get back on the court about a month ago."
Harrison Wind: Bol Bol on playing this season: “My plan is to hopefully play this season, but it’s up to my team, whether they want to focus on me getting stronger and whatever is fine with me."
Bol will look to CAA to overlook his ongoing rehab and pre-NBA draft meeting and interview schedule. He will also rely on the firm to land him potential endorsement deals, beginning with a shoe deal. Bol boasts 650,000 followers on Instagram, the third-highest total among draft prospects behind only Duke's Zion Williamson and RJ Barrett.
In his first public remarks since his season-ending injury and subsequent surgery, Bol said he initially didn’t think the non-displaced fracture of the navicular bone in his left foot was “that much of a problem” until doctors diagnosed its severity and it led to surgery by renowned orthopedic Dr. Martin O’Malley. “I was bummed out that I couldn’t play,” said Bol, who led the Ducks in scoring (21.0 points), rebounding (9.6) and blocks (2.7) prior to the injury. “It just took me like three weeks to get over it.”
Bol said he does have a loss of value insurance policy, though he was not sure for how much, would could come into play if he were to slip in the NBA Draft due to the injury. Until then, Bol, who is still wearing a walking boot on his left foot but no longer using a scooter or crutches, will be with his teammates for the rest of their ride in the NCAA Tournament.
