lithe 7-foot-7 shot-blocker from Sudan who spent 10 seasons in the NBA
and was dedicated to humanitarian work in Africa, died Saturday. He was
47.
Bol died at the University of
Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville, where he was being treated for
severe kidney trouble and a painful skin condition, Tom Prichard,
executive director of the group Sudan Sunrise, said in an e-mail.
"Sudan and the world have lost a hero
and an example for all of us," Prichard said. "Manute, we'll miss you.
Our prayers and best wishes go out to all his family, and all who mourn
his loss."
Bol played in the NBA with
Washington, Golden State, Philadelphia and Miami, averaging 2.6 points,
4.2 rebounds and 3.3 blocks for his career. He led the league in blocks
in 1985-86 with Washington (5.0 per game) and in 1988-89 with Golden
State (4.3 a game).
"Manute's impact on this city, our
franchise and the game of basketball cannot be put into words," 76ers
president and general manager Ed Stefanski said in a statement. "He …
was continually giving of himself through his generosity and
humanitarian efforts in order to make the world around him a much
better place, for which he will always be remembered."
Bol joined the NBA with Washington in
1985 and played three seasons there. He returned to the team briefly
toward the end of his career. The Wizards lauded him as a "true
humanitarian and an ambassador for the sport of basketball."
"Despite his accomplishments on the
court, his lasting legacy will be the tireless work and causes he
promoted in his native Sudan and the cities in which he played," the
club said in a statement.
After the NBA, Bol worked closely as an advisory board member of Sudan Sunrise, which promotes reconciliation in Sudan. .
Bol was hospitalized in mid-May
during a stopover in Washington after returning to the United States
from Sudan. Prichard said then that Bol was in Sudan to help build a
school in conjunction with Sudan Sunrise but stayed longer than
anticipated after the president of southern Sudan asked him to make
election appearances and use his influence to counter corruption in the
county.
He said Bol had undergone three
dialysis treatments and developed Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, a condition
that caused him to lose patches of skin. Prichard said the skin around
Bol's mouth was so sore he went 11 days without eating and could barely
talk.
Prichard said it's believed Bol contracted the skin disease as a reaction to kidney medication he took while in Africa.
Janis Ricker, operations manager of
Sudan Sunrise, said Saturday the organization will continue its work
building the school in Bol's home village in southern Sudan. She said
Bol's goal was to build 41 schools throughout Sudan.