 Bol withMater Dei High in 2017 | |
| No. 11 – Phoenix Suns | |
|---|---|
| Position | Center /power forward |
| League | NBA |
| Personal information | |
| Born | (1999-11-16)November 16, 1999 (age 25) Khartoum, Sudan |
| Nationality | American / South Sudanese |
| Listed height | 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m) |
| Listed weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | |
| College | Oregon (2018–2019) |
| NBA draft | 2019: 2nd round, 44th overall pick |
| Selected by theMiami Heat | |
| Playing career | 2019–present |
| Career history | |
| 2019–2022 | Denver Nuggets |
| 2019–2020 | →Windy City Bulls |
| 2022–2023 | Orlando Magic |
| 2023–present | Phoenix Suns |
| Career highlights and awards | |
Stats at NBA.com  | |
| Stats atBasketball Reference | |
Bol Manute Bol (/ˈboʊlˈboʊl/BOHLBOHL;[1] born November 16, 1999) is a South Sudanese–American professionalbasketball player for thePhoenix Suns of theNational Basketball Association (NBA). He playedcollege basketball for theOregon Ducks. A son of basketball playerManute Bol, who was known for being one of the tallest players in NBA history, Bol was born inKhartoum, Sudan, but was raised in theKansas City area from a young age. In high school, Bol was considered one of the best players in the class of 2018, having been rated a consensus five-starrecruit and earningMcDonald's All-American honors. Acenter listed at 7 feet 3 inches (2.21 m), he is one of the tallest players in the NBA.
Bol started his high school career atBlue Valley Northwest High School, where he was assigned to thejunior varsity team. He transferred toBishop Miege High School in the middle of the season but remained on junior varsity due to transfer rules. He joinedvarsity in his second year. As a junior, he moved toMater Dei High School inSanta Ana, California, rising in profile as a recruit. In his final season, Bol played forFindlay Prep inHenderson, Nevada. At the international level, he represents theUnited States but has never competed for them in aFIBA tournament. He was drafted with the 44th pick in the2019 NBA draft by theMiami Heat, but was traded to theDenver Nuggets on draft day. He has also played for theOrlando Magic.
Bol was born on November 16, 1999, inKhartoum, Sudan, as the second child of formerNational Basketball Association (NBA) starManute Bol and his wife Ajok Kuag.[2] He was named after his late great-grandfather andDinka chief Bol Chol Bol.[3] In 1998, after anAmerican missile strike during theSecond Sudanese Civil War, Manute was accused of being an American spy and was barred by the Sudanese government from fleeing to the United States.[3] In 2001, the family traveled toCairo, Egypt, where they were stranded for many months due tovisa problems, despite having acquired tickets to the United States from American friends.[3][4]
In the following year, when Bol was two years old, his family moved toConnecticut as designatedpolitical refugees.[3] Upon encouragement from his father, he began playing basketball at age four, although he was initially reluctant.[5] Bol eventually began training with his father in the gym.[2][6] At age seven, his family moved toKansas City and settled inOlathe, Kansas, a city with a largeSouth Sudanese population.[6] As a 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) seventh grader, Bol featured in a highlight video[7] at anIndianapolis basketball camp that drew attention fromCBS Sports[8] andThe Washington Post.[9] His firstNCAA Division I offer came fromNew Mexico State when he was still in the eighth grade.[10]
For the beginning of his freshman basketball season, Bol played for thejunior varsity team ofBlue Valley Northwest High School inOverland Park, Kansas.[5] Because he did not live in his school district, Bol transferred toBishop Miege High School inRoeland Park, Kansas where he continued his freshman season.[6] At age 14, he stood 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m), but he was forced to remain at the junior varsity level until February 2015 because of transfer rules.[6][11] Bol made his debut for the Bishop Miege junior varsity team on December 11, 2014, displaying hisshot blocking and shooting ability.[12][13] Despite becoming eligible on the varsity team by the end of the season, he did not earn playing time.[5] On March 4, 2015, sports websiteBleacher Report compared him to a tallerKevin Durant.[14] In May, Bol played for his under-15Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team KC Run GMC at the Jayhawk Invitational inKansas City, Missouri, scoring 15 points in one game.[15] By then, he was receiving interest from a number of NCAA Division I programs, includingKansas andOklahoma.[15]
In his sophomore season, Bol was ranked as one of the top players in the class of 2018 by recruiting service247Sports.[16] On January 6, 2016, in his fourth varsity game, he posted 16 points in a 59–57 upset loss toHogan Preparatory Academy.[17] Bol contributed 14 points to help Bishop Miege win the Kansas Class 4A Division I state title game, 69–59, overMcPherson High School in March.[18] After leading his team to a 22-win season, he earned class 4A-I first-team honors.[19] In April 2016, he received ascholarship offer from Kansas.[20]
In November 2016, Bol announced that he was transferring from Bishop Miege toMater Dei High School inSanta Ana, California for his junior year.[21] He was encouraged to join the program because of its head coach Gary McKnight.[22] Bol debuted for Mater Dei on January 24, 2017, recording 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 blocks to coast pastOrange Lutheran High School.[23] On February 24, he recorded 14 points, 14 rebounds, and 5 blocks in an overtime win over defending national championsChino Hills High School.[24] He scored 15 points in a March 4 loss toBishop Montgomery High School at theCIF Southern Section Open Division title game.[25] On March 14, at the Open Division semifinals, Bol led Mater Dei with 15 points and 6 rebounds as they defeatedSt. Augustine High School.[26] He averaged 16.5 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.9 blocks per game as a junior, leading his team to aCalifornia Interscholastic Federation (CIF) runner-up finish.[19] During the season he received offers fromArizona,USC, andOregon, as well as offers fromKentucky andUCLA.[27] In May, at theNike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) with his team California Supreme, Bol averaged 25.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 4.1 blocks per game.[27]
Bol transferred toFindlay Prep inHenderson, Nevada in November 2017, where he would play under head coach Paul Washington.[28] His head coach at Mater Dei said that Bol made the move due to "family reasons."[29] Shortly after, he committed to playcollege basketball forOregon, choosing them overKentucky.[30] Before the season, Bol was included among 20 players in theUSA Today preseason boys' basketball team.[31] On November 27, 2017, he recorded 30 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks in a 66–61 win overMorgan Park High School at the Like Mike Invitational.[32] Bol scored 32 points in 21 minutes, shooting 14-of-17 from the field, in a January 14, 2018 rout ofImmaculate Conception High School at the Spalding Hoophall Classic.[33] He was selected for the2018 McDonald's All-American Boys Game,[34] but was unable to play due to injury.[35] Bol finished his senior season at Findlay Prep averaging 20.4 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks per game, earning All-USA Boys Basketball Second-Team honors fromUSA Today High School Sports.[36]
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bol Bol C | Olathe, KS | Findlay Prep (NV) | 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) | 225 lb (102 kg) | Nov 20, 2017 | |
Star ratings:Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: 96 | ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Rivals:4 247Sports:4 ESPN:4 | ||||||
Sources:
| ||||||
Bol joined Oregon as a freshman in the2018–19 season under head coachDana Altman.[37] Entering the season, he was considered one of the best prospects for the upcomingNBA draft, although analysts described him as a polarizing prospect in the long term.[37][38] On November 6, 2018, Bol debuted with adouble-double of 12 points, 12 rebounds, and 3 blocks in 23 minutes againstPortland State.[39] He later recorded a season-high 32 points and 11 rebounds in an 89–84 loss toTexas Southern.[40] After recording 20 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 blocks in a 66–54 win overSan Diego on December 12, Bol injured his left foot and missed the rest of the season. He declared for theNBA draft after his freshman season.[41][42] Bol was projected as the third pick in the2019 NBA draft behindZion Williamson andRJ Barrett before his season-ending injury.
Bol was drafted with the 44th pick of the2019 NBA draft by theMiami Heat. He was originally mentioned as a potential lottery pick or being selected somewhere in the first round , on draft night but slid in the draft until the second round.[43] His draft rights were then traded to theDenver Nuggets for a 2022 second-round draft pick acquired from thePhiladelphia 76ers.[44][45] On September 6, 2019, Bol signed atwo-way contract with the Nuggets, splitting time with theWindy City Bulls.[46] He had his first double double in theNBA G League on November 20, recording 16 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks in a 115–105 win over theFort Wayne Mad Ants.[47] On November 24, the Nuggets recalled Bol.[48]
Bol eventually made his NBA debut in the2020 NBA Bubble on August 1, 2020, recording 5 points and 4 rebounds in under 11 minutes of play in a 105–125 loss to theMiami Heat.[49] The Nuggets finished as the third seed in theWestern Conference, and faced theUtah Jazz during their first round matchup. Bol made his playoff debut on August 19, scoring two points in a 105–124 Game 2 loss.[50] The Nuggets eliminated the Jazz in seven games, and advanced to face theLos Angeles Clippers in the second round, whom they defeated in another seven-game series. The Nuggets eventually fell to theLos Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals, losing in five games.
On January 1, 2022, Bol scored a season-high 11 points, alongside three rebounds, in a 124–111 win over theHouston Rockets.[51] On January 10, Bol was traded to theDetroit Pistons in exchange forRodney McGruder and a 2022 second-round draft pick via theBrooklyn Nets.[52] The trade was voided on January 13, after Bol failed his physical fitness exam.[53] On January 18, he underwent surgery on his right foot and was listed as out indefinitely.[54]
On January 19, 2022, Bol andPJ Dozier were traded to theBoston Celtics in a three-team transaction involving theSan Antonio Spurs, which sentJuancho Hernangómez to San Antonio andBryn Forbes to Denver.[55] On February 10, before playing in a game for the Celtics, Bol and Dozier were traded to theOrlando Magic, alongside a future second-round draft pick and cash considerations, for a 2023 protected second-round pick.[56] On March 15, he was ruled out for the remainder of the season.[57]
On July 7, 2022, Bol re-signed with the Magic.[58] On November 16, Bol recorded a career-high 26 points, alongside 12 rebounds, and three blocks in a 108–126 loss to theMinnesota Timberwolves.[59]
On July 4, 2023, Bol was waived by the Magic.[60]
On July 18, 2023, thePhoenix Suns signed Bol to a one-year deal.[61] OnJanuary 1, 2024, Bol recorded his best game of the season at the time with season-highs of 11 points and a team-high 9 rebounds in 20 minutes of action in a 109–88 win over thePortland Trail Blazers after previously only playing 19 total minutes throughout 8 games played with Phoenix.[62] On February 23, 2024, Bol put up his best game of the season with the Suns with season-high performances of 25 points and 14 rebounds while coming off the bench in a 114–110 loss to theHouston Rockets.[63] On July 7, he re-signed with the Suns.[64]
After taking part in training camp, Bol was a finalist to make theUnited States roster for the2017 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup.[2] However, he was later cut from the squad by head coachJohn Calipari.[65]
In April 2018, Bol drew attention at theNike Hoop Summit, playing for the United States junior national select team.[2] He recorded 20 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals in an 89–76 loss to Team World, which was made up of international players playing high school basketball in the United States.[66][67]
In June 2024, Bol was among the fifty pre-selected players for theSouth Sudan national team, who will be playing in the2024 Summer Olympics.[68] On July 19, 2024, it was announced Bol had been ruled out for the Olympics for undisclosed personal reasons.[69]
| GP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
| FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
| RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
| BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019–20 | Denver | 7 | 0 | 12.4 | .500 | .444 | .800 | 2.7 | .9 | .3 | .9 | 5.7 |
| 2020–21 | Denver | 32 | 2 | 5.0 | .431 | .375 | .667 | .8 | .2 | .1 | .3 | 2.2 |
| 2021–22 | Denver | 14 | 0 | 5.8 | .556 | .250 | .400 | 1.4 | .4 | .1 | .1 | 2.4 |
| 2022–23 | Orlando | 70 | 33 | 21.5 | .546 | .265 | .759 | 5.8 | 1.0 | .4 | 1.2 | 9.1 |
| 2023–24 | Phoenix | 43 | 0 | 10.9 | .616 | .423 | .789 | 3.2 | .4 | .2 | .6 | 5.2 |
| Career | 166 | 35 | 13.9 | .550 | .327 | .745 | 3.6 | .6 | .3 | .8 | 6.0 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Denver | 4 | 0 | 5.4 | .556 | .667 | .875 | 1.3 | .0 | .5 | .5 | 4.8 |
| 2021 | Denver | 3 | 0 | 2.0 | .000 | .000 | — | .3 | .7 | .0 | .0 | .0 |
| 2024 | Phoenix | 3 | 0 | 4.3 | .333 | — | — | 1.3 | .0 | .3 | .0 | .7 |
| Career | 10 | 0 | 4.0 | .462 | .500 | .875 | 1.0 | .2 | .3 | .2 | 2.1 | |
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018–19 | Oregon | 9 | 9 | 29.8 | .561 | .520 | .757 | 9.6 | 1.0 | .8 | 2.7 | 21.0 |
Bol is the son of former NBA playerManute Bol. Bol has ten siblings, including Madut, who played college basketball atSouthern University and graduated in 2013.[2][70]
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