(UPDATE) WHILE PBA fans have high expectations on TNT’s upcoming title-retention bid in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup following the arrival of NBA veteran Bol Bol, team manager Jojo “Jolas” Lastimosa is tempering such lofty pre-conference hype.
One can’t blame some basketball-crazy Filipinos considering that Bol, the 7-foot-3 South Sudan big man comes in with a six-year NBA experience that saw him log in career averages of 6.2 points and 3.5 rebounds in 202 games played.
“It’s nice to have a player of his caliber. I’m not gonna lie, but that still needs to [be] seen,” Lastimosa told The Manila Times.
Bol’s lengthy wingspan and vertical advantage could easily pose a major roadblock for opposing teams, which will try to score inside the paint.
The amiable TNT team official stressed that despite his solid NBA experience, it remains to be seen how the son of the late NBA giant Manute Bol could adjust to the PBA style of play.
“[Still depends on] how he adapts to the game here and how well he helps with the guys,” said the 61-year-old Lastimosa, best remembered for guiding TNT to the 2023 Governors’ Cup title while serving as both coach and team manager.
Of course, Lastimosa said they’ll definitely miss Rondae Hollis-Jefferson’s presence, having led the Tropang 5G to their three league titles since 2023.
The left-handed former Brooklyn Nets forward injured his Achilles last December while being loaned to the Meralco Bolts in their East Asia Super League home-and-away game against Macao Black Bears in Isabela.
The injury will keep the do-it-all Jordanian naturalized player from reinforcing TNT this season, prompting management to bring in Bol, the Miami Heat’s 44th pick in the 2019 NBA Draft.
“We will miss Rondae’s competitive spirit and his motor. Everyone needs to step up for him,” shared Lastimosa.