Player Preview: What will Leandro Bolmaro’s impact be
The Minnesota Timberwolves will be competing for a playoff spot this season, but how much of an impact will Leandro Bolmaro have? It’s hard to envision him cracking the 10-to-11 man rotation, especially since they have plenty of depth in the backcourt.
The Wolves drafted the Argentinian with the 23rd pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, but he decided to play overseas for a year.
Ultimately, you would have liked to see him play for Minnesota last season for selfish reasons, but how many minutes would he have received? By playing for Barcelona, he was able to play against other pros and develop his game.
Bolmaro played two seasons overseas, and you can clearly see how much his game evolved in a short span.
| Season | Team | League | G | MP | FG | FGA | FG% | 3P | 3PA | 3P% | FT | FTA | FT% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PTS | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019-20 | FC Barcelona Lassa | Liga ACB | es | 7 | 13.0 | 1.9 | 4.0 | .464 | 0.4 | 0.9 | .500 | 0.3 | 0.4 | .667 | 1.1 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 1.1 | 4.4 |
| 2019-20 | FC Barcelona | EuroLeague | eu | 6 | 9.2 | 0.7 | 3.2 | .211 | 0.0 | 0.8 | .000 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 1.000 | 0.8 | 2.3 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.8 |
| 2020-21 | FC Barcelona Lassa | Liga ACB | es | 33 | 15.5 | 2.0 | 4.1 | .500 | 0.7 | 1.6 | .453 | 1.6 | 1.8 | .867 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 0.2 | 1.3 | 6.4 |
| 2020-21 | FC Barcelona | EuroLeague | eu | 30 | 9.8 | 1.0 | 2.4 | .408 | 0.3 | 0.7 | .381 | 0.7 | 0.9 | .786 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.1 | 0.9 | 2.9 |
| 2 Seasons | 12.5 | 1.5 | 3.3 | .448 | 0.5 | 1.1 | .412 | 1.0 | 1.2 | .840 | 1.2 | 1.6 | 0.7 | 0.1 | 1.1 | 4.5 |
Leading up to the draft, there were question marks surrounding his 3-point shot. In 2019-20, Bolmaro went 3-of-11 from 3. However, in 2020-21, he put up 74 shots and cashed in on 32 of those.
Most of the shots in this clip are from 3 and you see the makeup of a good shooter. Bolmaro has a fluid shooting motion and a quick release. Watching him in the preseason, it’s clear that he still has work to do offensively.
Bolmaro projects as a combo guard, who could play small forward at times. He’s bigger than most guards, standing in at 6-foot-7 and 200 pounds. His size will play as an advantage against most 1s and 2s, and since he’s only 21 years old, he’ll only tack on more weight.
Bolmaro gives you an edge on both sides of the ball because of his hustle and energy. Plus, he’s a bulldog on defense, and that’ll have a major impact on the end of the floor.
His defense will be beneficial to a Wolves team that finished 28th in defensive rating. His energy and quickness are what allows him to have success on that end of the floor.
Minnesota has a lot of depth in the backcourt, and it’s going to be hard for him to find playing time this season unless there’s an injury. He likely starts the season playing for the Iowa Wolves, and if he does well there, then maybe we see him in Minneapolis.
D’Angelo Russell and Patrick Beverley have had a history of injuries, and it’s realistic that might happen again this season.
We’re getting to watch him for the first time this preseason, and he has a good feel for the game. His immediate impact will be on defense and getting his teammates involved on offense.
This year, Bolmaro will likely spend his time playing in Iowa. If he earns playing time in Minnesota, he’ll primarily be used as a secondary ball-handler and be utilized as the point of attack defender.
