SUMMARY
- Manute Bol was listed at 7th 7in tall and was the tallest NBA player ever.
- Bol's son currently plays for the Phoenix Suns.
Back in the day, the NBA was dominated by centers and it was during the 80s that the narrative slowly began to change. However, players like Manute Bol still carried on the legacy of various big men like Bill Walton, Bill Russell, and Wilt Chamberlain. Bol was the tallest NBA player ever, listed at 7ft 7in tall. But his skinny frame was not to be mistaken as his weakness.
The number of seven-footers has gradually increased over the years, with Victor Wembanyama being the most recent prospect and Alexandre Sarr being the latest prospect to potentially be drafted No.1 overall in 2024. Manute, a former 31st pick in the second round of the 1985 draft had a very brief career. But he made a great impact on the ones who followed over the years to come.
Fans unearth old footage of the NBA’s tallest player ever, Manute Bol
Recently, fans discovered a bunch of viral posts on Manute Bol and reposted them on X. One of these posts showed a gigantic Bol guarding the rim while he played for Bridgeport during his college days. His hands were nearly above the rim, which never fails to amaze basketball fans of today. Not only did he possess the ability to block more shots than scoring points, but he was incredibly versatile for a seven-footer.
Watching him in action is amazingpic.twitter.com/oU0oGwEXLE
— MissFacto (@missfacto) May 29, 2024
Manute Bol was a force to be reckoned with even before his NBA days
— Leon Carson (@LeonCar68345362) May 29, 2024
“Watching him in action is amazing,” said one fan on X. Another fan added, “Manute Bol was a force to be reckoned with even before his NBA days.” Manute played in the league for 10 years racking up 2,086 blocks in his career. Another boggling statistic is that he recorded only 1,599 points while playing for Washington, Golden State, Philadelphia, and Miami. He averaged a career of 3.3 blocks per game and who knows had he played for longer, he would’ve had more blocked shots than Hakeem Olajuwon.
Bol Bol only realized Manute Bol was a famous player when he was five
Manute Bol officially retired from the sport before his son, Bol Bol was born. The Sudanese legend was the tallest athlete from his country as well. Bol Bol also inherited his father’s genes standing at 7ft 3in tall and he currently plays for the Phoenix Suns. Growing up, his love for basketball was inspired by Manute.
Manute Bol from South Sudan remains the tallest player in NBA history at 7ft 7in.
Over the course of his career, he blocked more shots than he scored points, making him the only NBA player ever to do so. pic.twitter.com/S635LFDWdS
— bstrat515 👑💛 (@bstrat515) May 29, 2024
“I think when I was about four or five, is when I realized he was a famous basketball player,” said Bol during an exclusive interview not too long ago. Not only did Manute inspire his son, but also Kevin Durant, who also currently plays for the Suns. Durant is regarded as one of the greatest players in NBA history as well.
Unfortunately, Manute Bol passed away on June 19, 2010. He reportedly suffered from acute kidney failure and also various other complications caused by Stevens-Johnson syndrome, which is a skin severe condition.