Nuggets follow familiar script by selecting Bol Bol in second round of draft

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The Nuggets took a chance in last year’s draft on Michael Porter Jr., selecting the tantalizing swingman 14th overall after one team after another passed on him due to injury concerns. Denver followed a similar script in the second round, zeroing in Jarred Vanderbilt, who also slipped due to an injury.

Thursday night, the Nuggets swung for talent again, trading into the second round to draft Bol Bol, the intriguing 7-foot-2 big man out of the University of Oregon, who fell due to a foot injury that ended his freshman season prematurely. He’s the son of former NBA player Manute Bol, who was 7-foot-7 and played 10 seasons from 1985-95. Denver reportedly sent a future second-round pick and cash to Miami to complete the deal.

Bol underwent surgery for his foot injury in January.

“My foot is 100 percent healed. I just recently started getting back on the court like a month ago,” Bol said on a conference call with the Denver media Thursday.

In nine games at Oregon, Bol averaged 21 points on 56% shooting from the field, 52% from 3, 9.6 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game.

Bol is the former No. 4 ranked recruit in ESPN’s top 100.