After he played college basketball for the Bridgeport Purple Knights, Bol was selected by the Washington Bullets in the 1985 NBA draft.

A center, Bol is considered among the best shot-blockers in the history of the sport and is the only NBA player to retire with more career blocked shots than points scored.

[9] During his later teens, Bol started playing basketball in Sudan, for several years with teams in Wau and Khartoum, where he experienced prejudice from the northern Sudanese majority.

According to Cleveland State University basketball coach Kevin Mackey, Bol could not provide a record of his birth date.

He improved his English skills after months of classes at ESL Language Centers at Case Western Reserve University, but not enough to qualify for enrollment at Cleveland State.

[13][14] Again with Feeley's influence, Bol declared his intention to play professionally in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

In speaking with Bol, through a fellow Sudanese player, Lynam learned that he had become hesitant about playing professionally because he did not know the language well enough to understand coaches.

[14] Bol turned professional in May 1985, signing with the Rhode Island Gulls of the spring United States Basketball League.

[27] In 1987, the Bullets drafted the 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) point guard Muggsy Bogues, pairing the tallest and shortest players in the league on the court for one season.

[20] On June 8, 1988, the Bullets traded Bol to the Golden State Warriors for Dave Feitl and a 1989 second round draft pick (Doug Roth was later selected).

[20] On August 1, 1990, Golden State traded Bol to the Philadelphia 76ers for a 1991 first round draft pick (Chris Gatling was later selected).

[20] During his last season in Philadelphia, he had a memorable night playing against former teammate Charles Barkley and the Phoenix Suns, making 6 of 12 three-pointers in the second half in a losing effort.

By this time, two weeks into the season, his career seemed rejuvenated under Warrior head coach Don Nelson; he was again a defensive force, making threes and contributing as a starter to create matchup problems.

[20] Bol played 22 games for the Florida Beach Dogs of the Continental Basketball Association during the 1995–96 season under Coach Eric Musselman.

[35] In 1996, the Portland Mountain Cats of the United States Basketball League announced that Bol would be playing with the team, but he never appeared in uniform.

[38] Complementing his great height, Bol had exceptionally long limbs (inseam 49 inches (120 cm)) and large hands and feet (size 16 1/2).

[48] Later, the Sudanese government hindered Bol from leaving the country, accusing him of supporting the Dinka-led Christian rebels, the Sudan People's Liberation Army.

Assistance from supporters in the United States, including Senator Joe Lieberman, raised money to provide Bol with plane tickets to Cairo, Egypt.

After six months of negotiations with U.S. consulate officials regarding refugee status, Bol and his family were finally able to leave Egypt and return to the United States.

In 2002, Fox TV agreed to broadcast the foundation's phone number in exchange for Bol's agreement to appear on their Celebrity Boxing show.

Bol spoke in New York City at the start of the walk, and in Philadelphia at a rally organized by former hunger striker Nathan Kleinman.

[citation needed] Bol was also an advocate for reconciliation efforts, and worked to improve education in South Sudan.

A Nicholas Kristof article[52] in The New York Times highlighted Bol's work for reconciliation and education with an organization called Sudan Sunrise.

[54] Bol's son Madut (born December 19, 1989) played college basketball at Southern University and graduated in 2013.

[59] Despite initially knowing little English or Western culture upon arriving in the United States, Bol adjusted and was widely regarded as well-rounded, inquisitive, and well-read.

[61] On February 11, 2004, Bol was arrested in West Hartford, Connecticut for assault, disorderly conduct, and interfering with a police officer.

[63] In July 2004, Bol was seriously injured in a car accident in Colchester, Connecticut; he was ejected from a taxi that hit a guardrail and overturned, resulting in a broken neck.

[39] On February 26, 2006, Bol and his wife Ajok were both arrested in West Harford, Connecticut following a physical altercation at their home.

Senator Sam Brownback said, "I can't think of a person that I know of in the world [who] used [his] celebrity status for a greater good than what Manute Bol did.

NBA Development Vice President Rory Sparrow added, "'He had a heart that was very large and full of compassion for his fellow man'".