The Denver Nuggets had their eyes set on University of Oregon big man Bol Bol from the get go, so much so that they had the intention to select him in the first round. However the price to get a first-round pick was too stiff for president of basketball operations Tim Connelly to shell out.

“We are sitting there [on draft night] and we have Bol very highly ranked, and we tried – there was handful of players we had as first round grades and we tried getting in the first round – the price was too high,” Connelly told 103.4 The Fan. “As the draft developed it wasn’t some well-made plan that as Bol dropped we were going to target him, it was more reactionary at some point to say, come on, this guy shouldn’t be a second round pick.

Connelly then explained his rationale in the pursuit of Bol:

“When you trade for a pick you say ‘I will give you this if my guy is on the board’, so you’re on the phone with the other team and listening, and I think we acquired 44 at 40,” he said. “And you know, he’s not going to be there at 44 let’s not get too excited. 41 – the name is read. He’s not going to be there. And 42. Now we’re really sweating. It gets to 43 and we’re lucky enough that he drops to 44.”

Bol had plenty of questions regarding his health after an injury-laden freshman season with the Ducks. Yet the 21 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks through nine games was enough to convince Connelly and company, who have never been shy of gambling on an injury-riddled prospect.

If Denver had the 7-foot-2 center as a potential lottery pick, it's likely that he slid a good entire round (30 picks) before his name was called, as the Nuggets executed a trade with the Miami Heat to snatch him out from the board.