Manute Bol, a Sudanese-born basketball player died on Saturday at the age of 47.
Until the debut of Gheorghe Mureşan, Bol was indisputably the tallest player ever to appear in the National Basketball Association. Manute Bol was 7 ft 7 in. His name “Manute,” means “special blessing.”
Bol, who spent 10 seasons in the NBA died at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville, where he was being treated for severe kidney trouble and a painful skin condition. He contracted the skin disease, Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, as a reaction to kidney medication he took while in Africa.
He played with Washington, Golden State, Philadelphia and Miami and averaging 2.6 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 blocked shots per game for his career. He led the league in blocks in 1985-86 with Washington (5.0 average per game) and in 1988-89 with Golden State (4.3).
After his playing days he worked on the advisory board of Sudan Sunrise, which promotes reconciliation in the country. He spent much of the money he made during a 10-year NBA career to support various causes related to his war-ravaged nation of birth, Sudan. Manute Bol is considered a hero in Sudan and used his influence as an NBA player to boost his humanitarian work in his native Africa.
Manute Bol‘s vision is to build a school in his home village and 41 schools throughout the country, which Sudan Sunrise organization would continue.
