Bol Bol

In 1998, after an American missile strike during the Second Sudanese Civil War, Manute was accused of being an American spy and was barred by the Sudanese government from fleeing to the United States.

Bol Manute Bol (born November 16, 1999) is a South Sudanese–American professional basketball player for the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

He played college basketball for the Oregon Ducks.

A son of basketball player Manute Bol, who was known for being one of the tallest players in NBA history, Bol was born in Khartoum, Sudan, but lived in the Kansas City metropolitan area from a young age.

Bol was born on November 16, 1999, in Khartoum, Sudan, as the second child of former National Basketball Association (NBA) star Manute Bol and his wife Ajok Kuag.

He was named after his late great-grandfather and Dinka chief Bol Chol Bol.

In 2001, the family traveled to Cairo, Egypt, where they were stranded for many months due to visa problems, despite having acquired tickets to the United States from American friends.

In the following year, when Bol was two years old, his family moved to Connecticut as designated political refugees.

Upon encouragement from his father, he began playing basketball at age four, although he was initially reluctant.

Bol eventually began training with his father in the gym.

At age seven, he moved to Olathe, Kansas, a city with a large South Sudanese population.

As a 6 ft seventh grader, Bol featured in a highlight video at an Indianapolis basketball camp that drew attention from CBS Sports and The Washington Post.

His first NCAA Division I offer came from New Mexico State when he was still in the eighth grade.

For the beginning of his freshman basketball season, Bol played for the junior varsity team of Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park, Kansas.

Because he did not live in his school district, Bol transferred to Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park, Kansas where he continued his freshman season.

Bol made his debut for the Bishop Miege junior varsity team on December 11, 2014, displaying his shot blocking and shooting ability.

Despite becoming eligible on the varsity team by the end of the season, he did not earn playing time.

At age 14, he stood 6 ft, but he was forced to remain at the junior varsity level until February 2015 because of transfer rules.

On March 4, 2015, sports website Bleacher Report compared him to a taller Kevin Durant.

In May, Bol played for his under-15 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team KC Run GMC at the Jayhawk Invitational in Kansas City, Missouri, scoring 15 points in one game.

By then, he was receiving interest from a number of NCAA Division I programs, including Kansas and Oklahoma.

On January 6, 2016, in his fourth varsity game, he posted 16 points in a 59–57 upset loss to Hogan Preparatory Academy.

Bol contributed 14 points to help Bishop Miege win the Kansas Class 4A Division I state title game, 69–59, over McPherson High School in March.

After leading his team to a 22-win season, he earned class 4A-I first-team honors.

In April 2016, he received a scholarship offer from Kansas.

In November 2016, Bol announced that he was transferring from Bishop Miege to Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California for his junior year.

He was encouraged to join the program because of its head coach Gary McKnight.

Bol debuted for Mater Dei on January 24, 2017, recording 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks to coast past Orange Lutheran High School.

On February 24, he recorded 14 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks in an overtime win over defending national champions Chino Hills High School.

In high school, Bol was considered one of the best players in the class of 2018, having been rated a consensus five-star recruit and earning McDonald's All-American honors.

A center listed at 7 ft, he is one of the tallest players in the NBA.

Bol started his high school career at Blue Valley Northwest High School, where he was assigned to the junior varsity team.

He transferred to Bishop Miege High School in the middle of the season but remained on junior varsity due to transfer rules.

He joined varsity in his second year.

As a junior, he moved to Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California, rising in profile as a recruit.

In his final season, Bol played for Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nevada.

At the international level, he represents the United States but has never competed for them in a FIBA tournament.

In his sophomore season, Bol was ranked as one of the top players in the class of 2018 by recruiting service 247Sports.

He was drafted with the 44th pick in the 2019 NBA draft by the Miami Heat, but was traded to the Denver Nuggets on draft day.

He has also played for the Orlando Magic.