Whether for better or worse, Bol Bol has quickly become the defining storyline of the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup — bringing both intrigue and added attention to a league always searching for fresh energy.
The former NBA big man has made an immediate impact, not just on the court but at the gate — drawing eyes and boosting attendance even in games without Barangay Ginebra.
His unique blend of size and skill has added a different dimension to the conference, turning every TNT Tropang 5G outing into a must-watch.
But as TNT reaches the midway point of its campaign with Bol leading the charge, the conversation now shifts if the expectations have been met, what areas of his game can still evolve as a primary import, and what he needs to refine to help the team defend its crown from last season.
Bol is starting to figure out the drives
For a player wired like a guard, Bol Bol needed an adjustment period in a smaller and more physical PBA setting.
But over the last few games, he’s begun to fully embrace his 7-foot-3 frame, recognizing that he’s the biggest matchup problem on the floor every night.
In TNT’s back-to-back wins over Terrafirma Dyip and Blackwater Bossing, Bol has erupted for an average of 41.5 points per game while shooting an elite 71.4%. The spike comes from a clear shift in approach of attacking downhill off the dribble, getting to the heart of the defense, and simply rising over smaller defenders.
TNT has also diversified his touches, letting him operate from the post where he can either finish high-percentage looks or draw double teams and force rotations.
The next step is converting at the line.
With defenders having no choice but to foul, Bol is getting to the stripe at a massive rate (14.5 attempts per game) but is still at 60.9%. There are signs of progress, though, as he went 17-of-21 in their latest outing — an encouraging indicator as he continues to round out his interior dominance.
Bol has to trust his teammates
For all his dominance as the conference’s top scorer, Bol has also been at the center of TNT’s offensive shift and not all of it has been positive.
The team has leaned heavily into his isolation scoring, drifting away from head coach Chot Reyes’ trademark dribble-drive system that thrives on pace, penetration, and ball movement.
The numbers reflect that change.
TNT’s perimeter attack has dipped, knocking down just 7.5 threes per game, a drop from their usual double-digit output in past conferences on a modest 24.2 attempts while shooting 31%. Ball movement has also taken a hit, with the team averaging just 18.3 assists per game, one of the lowest marks in the league.
The next step in Bol’s evolution is trusting the system and his teammates.
While his shot selection has improved, he’s still only averaging one assist per game. As defenses collapse on him, the reads will be there and it’s about making the simple pass, keeping the offense flowing, and resisting the urge to fall into hero ball.
Bol’s activity and defensive consistency will be crucial
There’s no question that Bol has the physical tools to anchor a defense, especially as a weakside presence.
His 3.8 blocks per game through six outings show how disruptive he can be when he’s locked in, with TNT maximizing him as a roamer while bigger bodies like Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Kelly Williams and Henry Galinato take on primary import matchups inside.
But the other side of the coin has been just as noticeable, with his low activity level.
In ball screen situations, especially when he’s forced into switches or drop coverage, Bol has struggled to consistently stay engaged. He’s often late reacting on the drop, giving up driving lanes or open pull-ups, and that lack of urgency carries over to other areas.
It shows up on the glass and in transition.
Despite his size, there are stretches where he gets outrebounded by smaller and more active guards simply because they beat him to the ball. There are also possessions where he’s slow getting back on defense, putting TNT at a disadvantage before the play even develops.
For Bol to truly impact winning on both ends even on the latter stages of the conference, it’s not just about his length because the one that counts is the sustained effort through possession by possession — something TNT’s former import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson brought.
