Manute Bol died on Saturday from kidney trouble coupled with a painful skin disease at the very young age of 47. I meant to get a post up about one of my favorite Warriros players growing up when I heard that he passed away, but time just didn’t allow that to happen over the weekend. He played three of his ten seasons for the Dubs, and I’ll always remember the first time I saw Manute play live in Oakland. My uncle took me to a game, and the 7 foot 7 toothpick was the guy that easily caught my 8 year old attention span. Just watching the guy run up and down the court was amazing. I remember his legs reminding me of stilts, and had a hard time figuring out how they supported him. From that point on, I always followed him on the court when watching them play, whether he was bombing an ill-advised three or if he was just roaming along the paint waiting for someone to try to throw up a shot that he could swat into the fifth row. I will always be grateful to him for what he brought to the Warriors, as he was there during the Run TMC days, and that was truly our last golden era in Bay Area basketball.
He was a selfless man on and off the court, and was known rightfully for his shot blocking abilities. Manute was the only player ever to block more shots (3.3) than score points (2.6), which shouldn’t come as a surprise from the NBA’s tallest player ever. Manute has the most blocks per 48 minutes (8.6), and also ranks fourteenth on the all-time block list with 2,086 for his career.
Bol was even more of a man off the court as he helped his home country (Sudan) more than anyone ever had. He donated about $6 million of his earnings to help his impoverished home country. It’s too bad that being on those missions may have been what lead to some of his health problems, but we know that he would be the first to say it was well worth it… His countless missions to the Sudan to helped inspire the unispired, and has shown people that sometimes guys do spend their money on a worthwhile cause! His legacy will live on through the work he did off the court.
Manute was my team logo for fantasy last season, so I guess I’ll have to keep that for another year as a tribute to him, and his greatness as a person!
By
cali4dre
chappy81
dyslecix
mceezy
Doin Work 
June 21st, 2010 at 1:50 pm
chappy
Despite this sad loss Manute Bol is now more widely known for his humanitarian efforts in making the world know about the plight of the genocide that was going on in his native Sudan . That to my mind is far more important than anything that he’d achieved in the NBA .
Round Up And Sounding Off …………
AP
June 21st, 2010 at 4:12 pm
Yes, he was amazing in his selflessness to his home country. I think they should change the NBA slogan to Manute Cares, and these guys care a little too!
June 21st, 2010 at 2:30 pm
chappy
This could be another reason why Reggie Bush would to really keep silent as to what went on at USC.
June 21st, 2010 at 3:17 pm
Nice to see that he’s being remembered for his many contributions.
June 21st, 2010 at 9:21 pm
chappy
Chris Humpherys
What I’d like to see the NBA hierarchy do is to make a charitable donation of say $ 500,000 to a foundation named in honor of Manute Bol. And perhaps too teams from around the league can make a matching contribution equaling matching that total in all.
Alan Parkins .
June 22nd, 2010 at 9:01 am
I like it! They need to make up for the years of work that he will be missing out on dying so young!
June 22nd, 2010 at 10:14 am
chappy
You and I both know that’s not going to happen anytime soon ! Look at the work that Dikembe Mutombo has done in his native Congo ? He’s built a pediatric hospital there as well as one that deals primarily with HIV-AIDS sufferers but there’s been very little acknowledgement of that fact by the NBA as a whole . Need I say anymore on the matter ? Stern is all about image but merely his own and how it makes him look good in front of others .
Alan Parkins
June 22nd, 2010 at 4:31 am
Not a bad idea, Al.
Or rename the humanitarian award after him.
June 22nd, 2010 at 5:03 am
Chris
I don’t know that the NBA hierarchy would be wiling to go to that next step ! I mean with David Stern it’s always been about image and what puts him in the spotlight and not someone else.
Alan Parkins