BOL Bol is aiming to follow in his dad’s enormous footsteps.

The 7-foot-2 center dreams of making as much of an impact in the NBA as his late father Manute, the beloved star who was known as much for his broad smile as his ability to block shots.

Manute Bol was one of the tallest players in NBA history
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Manute Bol was one of the tallest players in NBA historyCredit: Getty

The 7-foot-2 Bol Bol is starring for the Phoenix Suns this season
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The 7-foot-2 Bol Bol is starring for the Phoenix Suns this seasonCredit: Getty

Manute and Bol are pictured together
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Manute and Bol are pictured togetherCredit: Getty

Bol (left) was born after his iconic dad stopped playing in the NBA
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Bol (left) was born after his iconic dad stopped playing in the NBACredit: Getty
Manute, who towered above the league at 7-foot-7, had starring roles for the Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors and Philadelphia 76ers in the 1980s and 1990s.

Bol, who comes from a family of 10 children, has bounced around the NBA since being drafted by the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the 2019 Draft.

The Oregon star had high expectations of being selected as a Lottery pick but he slid to the 44th pick.

Since joining the Nuggets on a two-way deal, he joined the Orlando Magic in 2022 before moving to the Phoenix Suns last year.

He was on a fine run of form in January, scoring 14 and 11 points against the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers respectively, before being struck with a foot injury.

“It’s been nothing but love and I just love it here so far and just being able to grow,” Bol told the Burns & Gambo show on Arizona Sports.

“From the coaching staff to the players, everything has been pretty good for me so far.”

Bol was born in 1999, five years after his iconic dad stopped playing in the NBA.

Manute died in 2010 aged just 47, when Bol still a relatively young child.

Bol recently reflected on the time he spent with his dad in a recent NBA video.

“I wasn’t born when my dad was in the NBA,” Bol said.

“I think I was like about four or five is when I realized he was a famous basketball player.

“I used to watch videos and YouTube and that’s when I realized…”

Bol has drawn praise around the league for his skillset as a big man, being able to dribble the full length of the court and shoot threes.

“He’s unique,” Kevin Durant said after playing against him in 2022.

“He’s tough to deal with. You see his confidence growing by the game.

“You know he can pretty much do everything on the basketball court.”

However, Bol has caught some heat from fellow big man Shaquille O’Neal, who branded the star as “lazy.”
Shaquille O’Neal names young NBA star who is ‘better’ than Victor Wembanyama despite Spurs picking him at No 1 in Draft
Shaq was comparing Bol to San Antonio Spurs phenomenon Victor Wembanyama, who stands two inches taller to the Suns center at 7-foot-4.

“Wemby has a lot more fanfare, and Wemby wants it more,” O’Neal said on his The Big Podcast.

“Bol Bol is lazy, but Bol Bol can do everything Wemby can do and even a little bit better.

“Dribble behind the back, shoot the three. Nice handle, the floater game. He’s just lazy.”

Bol was nonplussed by the criticism.

“I honestly don’t pay attention to any of that stuff,” he said.

“Any of the comparisons or any of the media. I really don’t care for it.

“Anyone can say what they want about me.

“It is what it is. I don’t feel that way.”