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Manute Bol’s Tragic Death as a 7-foot-7 NBA Legend
Manute Bol was one of the most distinctive NBA players in league history. Bol is the tallest NBA player in NBA history, tied with Gheorghe Muresan, standing 7-foot-7.
He didn’t contribute much offensively, but his shot-blocking ability made him a force to be reckoned with in the paint.
Nobody else could have survived 12 seasons in the league while averaging less than three points per game, but Bol was different.
He was also a popular personality in his native Sudan.
When he passed away in 2010, the basketball world lamented the loss of a gentle giant.
Manute Bol’s legendary NBA career
Manute Bol had a long and prosperous NBA career for one and only reason: he blocked everything.
Bol was 7-foot-7 with an 8-foot-6 wingspan.
He could easily dunk while standing and slapped any opponent who dared to approach his paint.
Bol was a breakthrough during his rookie season in 1985-86.
As a rookie, he blocked 5.0 shots per game, according to Basketball Reference.
During the same season, Bol had 15 blocks against the Atlanta Hawks.
Bol averaged 3.3 blocks per game during his career.
Despite shooting 40.7 percent throughout his career, he only averaged 2.6 points a game.
There has never been a better example of a “know-your-role” player in the league’s history.
Bol has more blocks (2,086) than points (2,086) in his career (1,599).
Bol began his career with the Washington Bullets (now the Washington Wizards) and spent three seasons with the Golden State Warriors.
After three seasons with the Philadelphia 76ers, the center returned to Golden State to conclude his career.
Bol donated the majority of his NBA earnings to Sudanese NGOs
Manute Bol grew up in Sudan, an African country.
Bol’s path from Africa to the NBA is as distinctive as his playing style, and he has always had a strong desire to give back to his homeland.
After his NBA career ended, Bol founded the Ring True Foundation to help Sudanese people with food, medicine, and housing.
Bol contributed $3.5 million of his own money to help his home nation, which represents the majority of his NBA earnings.
According to Sudan Sunrise, Bol even assisted in the construction of a school in Sudan.
Although he is more known for his basketball career, Bol’s activism and charitable work in Sudan helped to shape him into the one-of-a-kind individual that everyone who met him grew to admire.
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Manute Bol’s terrible death from Stevens-Johnson Syndrome in 2010
During a charity trip to Sudan, Bol got Stevens-Johnson syndrome, a potentially fatal skin ailment.
The condition causes the top layer of skin to blister and finally peel away from the body.
Bol died from kidney failure induced by the condition on June 19, 2010, while being treated for his symptoms in a Charlottesville, Virginia, hospital, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
He (supposedly) was 47 years old.
Bol still had a lot to offer back to Sudan and the Dinka tribe he grew up with.
Finally, it was a charity expedition intended to serve his people that led to his tragic demise. Bol’s mission to improve the lives of Sudanese people goes on through his foundation.
Furthermore, his NBA legacy goes on through his son, Bol Bol, who is currently a member of the Denver Nuggets.
