ATLANTA — When watching Overtime Elite Center John Bol play basketball, you'll notice two things - he's over 7 feet tall and always smiling.
But it wasn't always like that; Bol, who grew up in South Sudan, once refused to play the game until his mother gave him a nudge. Standing at 7 feet and 2 inches tall, it's no surprise everyone in Bol's life wanted him to take a chance on the court.
"Which made me hate basketball even more," Bol said. "I just like staying in the room, playing my games until my mama kept nagging me. She was like, 'You going to try and play basketball.'"
When he finally tried at age 15, he quickly found out how valuable he was on the court.
"I got out the house and went to a basketball court, and everyone wanted me on their team," Bol said. "And I didn't even know how to play basketball. I was like, 'If that's the case, I'm going to come back tomorrow.'"
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Just nine months after that, scouts discovered John and convinced him to pursue basketball in America.
"I've always wanted to see the Statue of Liberty, Hollywood. I was like, 'Man I'm going to come here.' It's good school here," Bol said. "Coming here was never a thought. It's just something that happened."
Just three and a half years into his basketball career, the four-star Ole Miss commit was selected for the prestigious McDonald's All-American game.
"It's a lot of hoopers dream. It's mine, too. Coming here to the United States -- it's something that I've always wanted to accomplish, so it means a lot," Bol said.
The big game is just another step in his newfound dream of getting to the NBA.
"I've got to just stay focused. Stay on the right mind and the right course. A lot of people want it, but not everyone is going to get it," Bol said. I'm pretty sure that if I keep doing what I'm doing, I'm going to get it."