Manute Bol - Welcome to the Block Party

Manute Bol (born October 16, 1962) is a Sudanese-born basketball player and activist. Until the debut of Gheorghe Mureşan (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 397 shots during the 1985--1986 season, a rookie record. Bol tied for the NBA record for the most blocked shots in one half (eleven) and in one quarter (eight, twice), and he holds the all time NBA record for most blocked shots per minute, (.176). In a game against the Orlando Magic, he blocked four consecutive shots within a single possession. However, his other basketball skills were very limited, and his rail-thin physique made it difficult for him to establish position against the league's physical centers and power forwards. The sight of the tall, gangly Bol spotting up for a three-pointer during blow-outs became a fan favorite.Over the course of his career, Bol averaged 2.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 0.3 assists and 3.3 blocks per game while only playing an average of 18.7 minutes per game. A true specialist, Bol finished his career with totals of 1,599 points, 2,647 rebounds, and 2,086 blocks, having appeared in 624 games over 10 seasons. Second in career blocks-per-game average (3.34), trailing only Mark Eaton. Fourteenth in total blocked shots (2,086). The only player in NBA history to block more shots than points scored.He established the Ring True Foundation in order to continue fundraising for Sudanese refugees. He has given most of his fortune (an estimated $3.5 million) to their cause. During his time in Egypt, Bol ran a basketball school in Cairo. One of his pupils was fellow Sudanese refugee and current Chicago Bulls player Luol Deng, the son of a former Sudanese cabinet minister. Deng later moved to the United States to further his basketball career, continuing a close relationship with Bol. Manute also has a close friendship with Chris Mullin til this day as well.

Channel: Sports
Uploaded: November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am
Author: VeoShock

Length: 05:33
Rating: 4.9022007
Views: 371329

Tags: basketball  

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