We caught attention of Robert Bobroczky last year. Now, the Romanian is 16-years-old, 7-foot-7, 190 pounds, and is playing prep ball in Ohio.
The freshman who resembles a video game creation decided to come to the U.S. to play for the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio.
Considering he’s so young and already the second-tallest basketball player in the world, and taller than anyone in the NBA, it’s probably a smart move. According to recent news, there is a small army surrounding him in hopes of turning him into a healthy, NBA talent.
“Oddly enough, it all started on Facebook,” SPIRE Institute (Geneva, Ohio) Executive Director Bobby Bossman said. “We reached out to him a year ago and got to know him and his family. They trusted us and came over to America to visit and here we are. He’s been at our school for three months now and lives on campus.” …
… “Robert has a great mid-range shot for his size and can also step out and hit 3-pointers,” Bossman said. “He has great hands, passing ability and a soft touch around the rim. He has the body, intelligence and skill set to be a pro one day. He’s not even close to reaching his potential. But the thing that separates Robert from others is his strong work ethic. The kid just wants it.” …
… “Robert is on the court six days a week,” Bossman said. “We work on a lot of footwork drills, and it’s extremely important that we keep building up his endurance and increase his mobility. He does speed, strength and agility training four days a week. He also meets with our physical therapist three times a week and sports psychologist twice a week for mental training.”
The 7-foot-7 prospect gained viral fame last year with this video below. Millions watched the giant drain jump shots, block shots and execute some pretty sweet passes – the latter especially impressive for a kid his size.
Obviously strength conditioning is key if this kid is ever going to make it as a pro. Bossman told Max Preps that they have Bobroczky under a strict training and meal regimen, along with pool exercise three times a week, all to strengthen specific muscle groups.
Bobroczky’s father was a mere 7-foot-1 basketball player who competed on the Romanian national team with Gheorghe Muresan, who is tied as the tallest NBA player of all-time with Manute Bol.
While I’m rooting for this kid, as I mentioned last year, it’s going to take a team of experts to ensure he stays healthy.
Muresan, Bol and Shawn Bradley (7’6″), three of the four tallest players in NBA history, had lengthy medical histories, likely from overactive pituitary glands. In return, their overgrown size resulted in chronic joint problems which limited their careers.
Bossman expects Bobroczky to make his U.S. prep debut by mid-January. You can expect the teen to pop up on all your newsfeeds at that time.
You can see new photos of Bobroczky at Max Preps.
Josh Helmuth is the editor of Crave Sports.
