Recap: Bol Bol vs Mathew Van Komen
The first day of the West Coast Elite Summer classic pitted two 7-footers against each other and the result was intriguing to say the least. Bol Bol is a nationally acclaimed prospect who is a consensus Top 5 player in the national Class of 2018. Mathew Van Komen, who plays for the Adidas sponsored Exum Elite, is an emerging prospect who just recently put together an eye-opening performance at the always-loaded NBPA Camp.
Bol, who is playing for Big Red (aka Mater Dei), is a freakish athlete with extraordinary length and timing. He impacts the game in the areas of 3-point shooting and rim protection—a true anomaly. However, he met his match against the aforementioned Van Komen.
Van Komen thoroughly outplayed Bol Bol in their prime match up and got the W too.Komen consistently out ran Bol in transition, scored over the top of him, and dominated the game with his shot blocking and rebounding (pursues the ball). He has terrific hands, solid fundamentals (keeps the ball high), and displayed excellent timing at both ends. He obviously needs to get stronger, but he plays with purpose in mind and his overall upside is immense.
Bol, on the other hand, floats around the perimeter far too much looking for opportunities to convert from beyond the arc. He doesn’t like contact and plays too straight up-and-down on the block. In addition, he didn’t show the same assertiveness as Van Komen, especially in transition. If Bol Bol is to become the prospect many of us in the business believe he can be, his attention to detail at both ends and fundamentals need to improve.