Bol Bol is a son of former NBA player, Manute Bol. His father, a Sudanese native, was one of the tallest players in the league and was renowned for his support of human rights in Sudan as well as speaking for Sudanese refugees. Bol Bol was born in Khartoum, Sudan, on November 16, 1999. His mother, Ajok Kuag as well as great-grandfather Bol Chol Bol (from whom he inherited his name) were Dinka people.
Just a year earlier, his father was Manute, who went back to Sudan from the US, to become a minister of sport. As he refused to convert to Islam, his family had to flee Sudan. When Bol Bol was just two years old, they relocated to Egypt in hopes to travel to the US. Their shortstop was prolonged as they had trouble acquiring visas. In 2001, the family moved to Connecticut on the basis of the rights of asylum. In the US, Bol Bol started to train basketball with his father, despite not being interested in it as much at first.
When Bol Bol was seven years old, the family relocated again, this time to Olathe, Kansas. The basketball future was set for Bol Bol, as he grew to 6 feet 5 inches in seventh grade. He was featured in Indianapolis basketball’s training camp video where he drew the attention of the media and college recruiters. He got his first NCAA offer when he was in eighth grade, to join New Mexico State.
Bol Bol – High School
Bol Bol changed high schools due to his district eligibility. His first season was in Blue Valley Northwest High School’s junior varsity team in Overland, Kansas. He transferred to Bishop Miege High School in Roeland Park, Kansas. Both his skill and him were growing, measuring 6ft 10 inches as a 14-year old. For Bishop Miege’s junior varsity, he debuted very promisingly, often being compared to Kevin Durant, but taller. He participated in an under-15 AAU contest as a part of KC Run GMC, where he scored 15 points in a game. The school recruits were battling over him, giving him a lot of options to choose from.
Bol Bol – Sophomore Season
The interest in Bol Bol was growing, as he was considered one of the top players of the 2018 class by 247Sports. He led his team to win the Kansas Class 4A Division state title, by posting 14 points over McPherson High School. Bishop had 22 wins this season, to which freshman Bol Bol directly contributed and he was named to the class 4A-I first team.
Bol Bol – Junior Year
For his junior year, Bol transferred to Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, California to be coached by Gary McKnight. Bol made his debut on January 24, 2017, and he posted 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks in a win over Orange Lutheran High School. As a junior, he averaged 16.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks for his school in California, coming up just short of winning the state title. In May of this year, he played for the California Supreme at the Nike Elite Youth Basketball League, where he averaged 25.4 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 4.1 blocks per game.
Bol Bol – Senior Year
For his senior year, Bol transferred to high school Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nevada due to family reasons. He finally committed to a college, and he chose Oregon over Kentucky. Before his senior year, he was chosen to the boys’ USA Today preseason high school team. On November 27, 2017, he put up 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks in a 66–61 victory over Morgan Park High School at the Like Mike Invitational.
In a January 14, 2018 win over Immaculate Conception High School at the Spalding Hoophall Classic, Bol poured in 32 points on 14-of-17 shooting. He was supposed to play in the 2018 McDonald’s All-American Boys Game, but his injury made it impossible. At the conclusion of the season, Bol averaged 20.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game. His accomplishments earned him All-USA Boys Basketball Second-Team honors of the USA Today.
What college team did Bol Bol play for?
Bol Bol’s college career was short but full of successes. He was considered one of the best NBA draft prospects before suffering a season-ending injury. He debuted for Oregon with a double-double by scoring 12 points, having 12 rebounds and 3 blocks in only 23 minutes in a game against Portland State. Later, he contributed a season-high 32-point in a losing effort to Texas Southern. On December 12, he injured his left foot. The injury was so severe that he had to sit out the rest of the matches. Despite this, he entered the draft in 2019.
Bol Bol – NBA Debut
Bol Bol was to join the Miami Heat as the 44th pick, but his draft rights were traded to the Denver Nuggets. He signed a two-way contract and joined two teams, both Nuggets and Windy City Bulls of the NBA G League. He proved himself to the Bulls, by recording a double-double in a game against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. After four games, he was recalled back to Denver Nuggets.
Some time had to pass before Bol Bol made his debut on the big floor. On August 1, 2020, he played in the Nuggets jersey for the first time. On the premises of the NBA Bubble, Bol finished with 5 points and 4 rebounds in less than 11 minutes of play. It was surely a short welcome.
Bol Bol – 2021-22
As of the beginning of the 2021-22 regular season, Bol Bol played in only 39 Nugget’s games. His teammate, Michael Porter Jr, says that Bol has to change his mindset to achieve success and have more playing time. Bol actually agreed with him focusing on his own inconsistencies. In December 2021 he entered the league’s health and safety protocols on suspicions of Covid-19. More and more players are getting sidelined and we keep our fingers crossed that this pandemic will be over soon.
Also, we hope that Bol Bol has something in his bag of tricks that will help him excel above others in the future. With his ability to play the center position and being a power forward, he surely has yet to show off.
What does Bol Bol name mean?
His grandfather Bol Chol Bol was the chief of the Dinka people of South Sudan. Bol Bol inherited the name from him. However, there isn’t any conclusive evidence as to what the name means. According to some records, it means “Next God,” while others suggest that it denotes someone who was born after twins.
