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Oregon Basketball: Breaking down the 2018 recruiting class for the Ducks

By Lukas Harkins

GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 01: Oregon Ducks fans look on in the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the 2017 NCAA Men's Final Four Semifinal at University of Phoenix Stadium on April 1, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 01: Oregon Ducks fans look on in the game against the North Carolina Tar Heels during the 2017 NCAA Men's Final Four Semifinal at University of Phoenix Stadium on April 1, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) /
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ANAHEIM, CA – MARCH 04: Bol Bol #1 of Mater Dei High School looks for the open pass. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images)
ANAHEIM, CA – MARCH 04: Bol Bol #1 of Mater Dei High School looks for the open pass. (Photo by Josh Lefkowitz/Getty Images) /

Bol Bol – Henderson, NV

Center | 7-foot-2 | 230 lbs | No. 4 overall

The top-rated recruit in this recruiting class, Bol Bol will have one season to make his mark on the Oregon basketball program. This is due to the fact that it is all but a guarantee that the 7-foot-2 big man will be headed to the NBA as a lottery pick after his freshman season. With an incredible amount of talent and two-way potential, Bol could be a superstar at the college level.

On the defensive end of the floor, it is always difficult to match up with someone of Bol’s height. However, the youngster’s defensive instincts are what set him apart from other simply tall defenders. He understands how to avoid fouling when defending and he also knows that he does not have to block every shot in order to alter an attempt. Bol does a great job of positioning defensively and blocks shots without reaching over the offensive player.

In addition, Bol’s offensive game screams “modern big man.” Bol can stretch the floor out to the 3-point line, put the ball on the deck and drive, and score inside the paint. Because of these skills, Bol projects as an absolute nightmare as a screener. After setting screens, Bol can be dangerous both as a finisher above the rim or as a shooter after popping out to the perimeter.

However, if there is one thing that Bol can work on it is getting stronger. While this can be difficult for someone of his height to do, adding more muscle could make him that much harder to stop. When matched up against other bruising bigs, it is possible that he could get pushed around a bit more than normal.

Regardless, Bol is a special talent. He will be the primary frontcourt option for the Ducks during his lone season on campus and that is saying something considering the talent on this roster. With his two-way game, Bol can be a constant threat when on the floor and could emerge as the best player on the entire Oregon team.

Next: Updated preseason top-25

With these recruits coming in to join a few solid returners, Oregon basketball looks to be in great shape for 2018-19. Not only should the team make the NCAA Tournament but they should also compete for a Pac-12 title. With a strong season under head coach Dana Altman, the Ducks could end up being a top-10 team in the country.

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