57 Facts About Manute Bol

Manute Bol was a Sudanese-American professional basketball player and political activist.

Manute Bol played for the Bullets and three other teams over the course of his NBA career, which lasted from 1985 to 1995.

Manute Bol was notable for his efforts to promote human rights in his native Sudan and aid for Sudanese refugees.

Manute Bol was born to Madut and Okwok Bol in Turalei, a small village in what was at the time Sudan.

Manute Bol's father was a tribal elder for the Dinka people.

Manute Bol grew up during a period of relative peace in Sudan, a country that had recently experienced a lengthy civil war.

At the time, the Dinka people did not encourage formal education, and Manute Bol instead helped raise livestock.

Manute Bol did not want to partake in the ritual and instead wanted an education, and on two separate instances ran away from home.

Manute Bol came from a family of extraordinarily tall men and women.

Manute Bol recalled, "I was born in a village where you cannot measure yourself".

Unlike most people of extreme height, Manute Bol did not suffer from a growth-related pathological disorder such as gigantism.

Manute Bol initially declined as he did not understand the appeal of the game, but was eventually convinced by one of his cousins.

When Manute Bol tried to dunk for the first time, he knocked out two of his upper teeth on the rim, and resolved to practice more so as to avoid another injury.

Manute Bol's coach instructed him to focus on blocking and rebounding, and whenever he was not on the court, he was to watch how the taller players would position themselves underneath the basket for layups and dunks.

Manute Bol's height made him near impossible to guard, and it helped the Catholic team become one of the best teams in the league.

Manute Bol joined the Sudan men's national basketball team, and played games in various African and European countries.

Around this period, Manute Bol watched footage of National Basketball Association games, and dreamed of playing in the United States.

Feeley convinced Manute Bol to go to the United States and play basketball.

Manute Bol did not speak or write English at the time of his arrival in Cleveland.

Manute Bol improved his English skills after months of classes at ESL Language Centers at Case Western Reserve University, but not enough to qualify for enrollment at Cleveland State.

Again with Feeley's influence, Manute Bol declared his intention to play professionally in the National Basketball Association.

Manute Bol said Frank said he couldn't take another big guy like this.

Language and passport concerns were set aside when the NBA ruled that Manute Bol had not been eligible for the draft as he had not declared 45 days before the draft as required and declared the pick invalid.

Manute Bol's coach was Bruce Webster, a friend of Feeley.

Manute Bol averaged 22.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, and 7.1 blocks per game for the Purple Knights.

Manute Bol turned professional in May 1985, signing with the Rhode Island Gulls of the spring United States Basketball League.

When he arrived in the United States, Manute Bol weighed 180 pounds and had gained just under 20 pounds by the time he entered the NBA.

Manute Bol was named to the NBA All-Defensive Second Team in 1986.

Manute Bol competed in the NBA playoffs with the Bullets in 1986,1987, and 1988.

Fans were known to yell "shoot" as soon as Manute Bol received the ball far from the basket.

Manute Bol scored only one two-point field goal with the team and blocked six shots in 61 total minutes.

On November 15,1994, Manute Bol came off of the bench to play 29 minutes against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Manute Bol attempted three three-pointers in the fourth quarter and made them all.

Manute Bol was waived by Golden State on February 15,1995.

In 1996, the Portland Mountain Cats of the United States Basketball League announced that Manute Bol would be playing with the team, but he never appeared in uniform.

Manute Bol played professionally in Italy in 1997 and in Qatar in 1998 before rheumatism forced him to retire permanently.

Manute Bol finished his career with 1,599 points, 2,647 rebounds, and 2,086 blocks.

Manute Bol was active in charitable causes during and after his basketball career.

Manute Bol said he spent much of the money he made during his NBA career supporting various causes related to the war-ravaged nation of his birth, Sudan.

Manute Bol frequently visited Sudanese refugee camps, where he was treated like royalty.

Later, the Sudanese government hindered Manute Bol from leaving the country, accusing him of supporting the Dinka-led Christian rebels, the Sudan People's Liberation Army.

Manute Bol was admitted to the United States as a religious refugee in 2002 and settled in West Hartford, Connecticut.

Manute Bol established the Ring True Foundation to continue fund-raising for Sudanese refugees.

Manute Bol gave most of his earnings to their cause.

In late 2002, Manute Bol signed a one-day contract with the Indianapolis Ice of the Central Hockey League.

Manute Bol was involved in the April 2006 Sudan Freedom Walk, a three-week march from the United Nations building in New York City to the United States Capitol in Washington, DC.

Manute Bol spoke in New York City at the start of the walk, and in Philadelphia at a rally organized by former hunger striker Nathan Kleinman.

Manute Bol was an advocate for reconciliation efforts, and worked to improve education in South Sudan.

Manute Bol first began working with Sudan Sunrise to raise awareness on issues of reconciliation in 2005.

Manute Bol had six children with his first wife, Atong, and four with his second wife, Ajok.

Manute Bol's son Madut was born on December 19,1989 and played college basketball at Southern University and graduated in 2013.

In July 1988, Manute Bol was arrested for driving while intoxicated and resisting arrest.

Manute Bol knows what's going on in a lot of subjects.

On February 11,2004, Manute Bol was arrested in West Hartford, Connecticut for assault, disorderly conduct, and interfering with a police officer.

Police alleged that Manute Bol had struck his daughter and injured her lip.

Manute Bol received medical treatment for his injuries following the incident.

In July 2004, Manute Bol was seriously injured in a car accident in Colchester, Connecticut; he was ejected from a taxi that hit a guardrail and overturned, resulting in a broken neck.