Manute Bol (born October 16, 1962) is a Sudanese-born basketball player and activist. Until the debut of Gheorghe MureÅŸan (who was supposedly a few millimeters taller), Bol was undisputedly the tallest player ever to appear in the National Basketball Association. Currently an Olathe, Kansas resident, Bol is believed to have been born on October 16, 1962 in either Turalie or Gogrial, Sudan. He is the son of a Dinka tribal chief, who gave him the name "Manute," which means "special blessing." Bol moved to the United States at age 18 after being recruited by representatives of Fairleigh Dickinson University and the University of Bridgeport. He later attended Cleveland State University despite not having a strong command of written English. He was first drafted by the San Diego Clippers in the 5th round of the 1983 NBA Draft, but the league declared the pick invalid and ruled that Bol had not been eligible for the draft. Bol played college basketball at the University of Bridgeport during the 1984--1985 season, and in 1985 he was drafted in the second round by the Washington Bullets. He played in the NBA for ten years, from 1985--1995, spending parts of four seasons with the Bullets, parts of three with the Golden State Warriors, parts of four with the Philadelphia 76ers and part of one season with the Miami Heat. Due to his height and extremely long limbs, Bol was one of the league's most imposing defensive presences, blocking shots at a nearly unprecedented rate. He blocked ...
