Sudanese-born basketball player and political activist, Manute Bol is born

Date: 16 Oct 1965
Updated: 30 Sep 2019

Sudanese-born basketball player and political activist, Manute Bol is born

Manute Bol was born in Turalei, Sudan on 16 October 1965. He came from a family of tall people; both his parents were over two metres tall. Bol himself was 2.31 m tall. Like most boys in his community, Bol initially played soccer, but his height hindered his play, leading him to leave the sport for basketball. An American coach spotted Bol in action and convinced him to move to the United States. In America, Bol became the tallest basket ball player in the country. His blocking skills were exceptional and he quickly garnered a reputation for it. Sadly his other skills were limited due to his physique. He played in the NBA for ten years. He died of acute kidney failure in 2010 and is survived by his two wives and ten children.

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01Brooks M. (2012) Manute Bol’s son looks to follow in his father’s very large footsteps from The Washing Post [online] Available at: www.washingtonpost.com [Accessed on 20 September 2013]
02The Tallest Man Manute Bol - 7 feet 6.75 inches (230.51 cm) [online] Available at: www.thetallestman.com [Accessed on 20 September 2013]

Last updated · 30 Sep 2019

Cite this entry

South African History Online. (2013, October 8). Sudanese-born basketball player and political activist, Manute Bol is born. South African History Online. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0096498

South African History Online (2013) 'Sudanese-born basketball player and political activist, Manute Bol is born', South African History Online, 8 October. Available at: https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0096498 (Accessed: 22 August 2026).

South African History Online, Sudanese-born basketball player and political activist, Manute Bol is born [website], https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0096498, (accessed 22 August 2026).

"Sudanese-born basketball player and political activist, Manute Bol is born." South African History Online, 8 Oct. 2013, https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0096498. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

South African History Online. "Sudanese-born basketball player and political activist, Manute Bol is born." South African History Online. October 8, 2013. https://sahistory.org.za/ref/E-0096498.