Manute Bol: Height, Syndrome, Cause of Death, and Family

He stood 7 feet 7 inches tall, yet the thing people remember most about Manute Bol isn’t his height — it’s what he did with it. Few professional athletes have used their platform as boldly as this South Sudanese center, who spent his NBA salary on humanitarian aid, spent his offseasons in war zones, and died at 47 after a remarkable final chapter.

Height: 7 ft 7 in (2.31 m) ·
Weight: 200 lb (91 kg) ·
Wingspan: 8 ft 6 in (2.59 m) ·
NBA career: 10 seasons (1985–1995) ·
Cause of death: Acute kidney failure and Stevens–Johnson syndrome

Eight key facts, one pattern: the man was defined not by his stature but by how he used it.

What syndrome did Manute Bol have?

Was Manute Bol diagnosed with a specific condition?

• No official posthumous diagnosis exists, but his extreme height — 7 ft 7 in — strongly suggests gigantism, a condition caused by excess growth hormone before the epiphyseal plates close (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (regional news outlet)).
• Gigantism results from a pituitary adenoma that secretes excessive growth hormone during childhood and adolescence.
• Bol’s proportional build — long limbs, large hands and feet — aligns with gigantism rather than acromegaly, which typically develops after growth plates close.

What is the difference between gigantism and acromegaly?

• Gigantism occurs when excess growth hormone is present before epiphyseal (growth) plates close, leading to tall stature with normal body proportions.
• Acromegaly occurs after growth plates close, causing enlargement of hands, feet, and facial features without additional height increase.
• Bol’s extreme height combined with proportional physique suggests gigantism rather than acromegaly.

Did Manute Bol have gigantism?

What are the symptoms of gigantism?

• Excessive height due to rapid growth during childhood — Bol reportedly stood over 7 feet by age 17.
• Large hands, feet, and facial features — his shoe size was reported as size 16.
• Joint pain, cardiovascular complications, and reduced life expectancy — Bol died at 47, consistent with gigantism’s average lifespan of around 40–50 years (ESPN (sports news network)).

How does gigantism affect life expectancy?

• Untreated gigantism significantly shortens life expectancy due to cardiovascular strain, hypertension, and diabetes.
• Bol’s early death at 47 from kidney failure and Stevens–Johnson syndrome aligns with the condition’s known complications (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (regional news outlet)).

Why did Manute Bol pass away?

What was Manute Bol’s cause of death?

• Bol died on June 19, 2010, at the University of Virginia Hospital in Charlottesville, Virginia (ESPN (sports news network)).
• The official cause was acute kidney failure with complications from Stevens–Johnson syndrome, a severe and potentially fatal skin reaction often triggered by medications (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (regional news outlet)).
• He had been treated for severe kidney trouble before the skin condition developed (ESPN (sports news network)).

What is Stevens–Johnson syndrome?

• Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS) is a rare, serious disorder of the skin and mucous membranes, often triggered by an allergic reaction to medication.
• ESPN reported Bol’s condition was believed to be a reaction to kidney medication he took while in Africa (ESPN (sports news network)).
• The skin around Bol’s mouth was so sore that he went 11 days without eating and could barely talk (ESPN (sports news network)).
• SJS has a mortality rate of 10–15%, which rises significantly when combined with kidney failure.

How old would Manute Bol be today?

What is Manute Bol’s birth date?

• Manute Bol was born on October 16, 1962 in Sudan (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (regional news outlet)).
• He died on June 19, 2010, at age 47 (ESPN (sports news network)).
• As of 2025, he would be 62 years old.

How many years has it been since his death?

• June 2025 marks 15 years since his passing.
• His legacy continues through his son Bol Bol, who plays in the NBA, and through the ongoing work of humanitarian organizations in South Sudan.

How many wives did Manute Bol have?

Was Manute Bol married?

• Bol was reported to have had multiple wives, though exact numbers vary by source. Most accounts mention three wives (Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference)).
• Details of his marriages remain private, with limited public records or interviews addressing his personal life directly.
• His marital arrangements reflected Dinka cultural traditions, where polygamy is practiced.

How many children did Manute Bol have?

• Bol had several children, including son Bol Bol, who was drafted into the NBA in 2019 (Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference)).
• Bol Bol plays as a center for the Phoenix Suns, continuing his father’s basketball legacy.
• Other children include daughters and additional sons, though exact numbers are not publicly confirmed.

Timeline

• 1962 — Born in Sudan
• 1985 — Drafted by Washington Bullets as 31st overall pick
• 1985–1995 — Plays 10 NBA seasons, leads league in blocks per game (3.3) (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (regional news outlet))
• 1990s — Engages in political activism for Sudan
• 2000s — Establishes Ring True Foundation for Sudanese refugees (Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference))
• May 2010 — Hospitalized in Washington after returning from Sudan, starts dialysis (ESPN (sports news network))
• June 19, 2010 — Dies at University of Virginia Hospital, age 47 (ESPN (sports news network))

What was clear, what wasn’t

Confirmed facts

• Manute Bol’s height was approximately 7 ft 7 in (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (regional news outlet))
• He died from acute kidney failure and Stevens–Johnson syndrome (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (regional news outlet))
• He played in the NBA from 1985 to 1995 (ESPN (sports news network))
• He had a son named Bol Bol who also played in the NBA (Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference))
• He was widely described as a humanitarian and an ambassador for basketball (ESPN (sports news network))
• He gave most of his estimated $3.5 million in NBA earnings to Sudan-related causes (Wikipedia (encyclopedic reference))

What remains unclear

• Exact official diagnosis of a syndrome (gigantism vs. other) — no posthumous confirmation
• Exact number of wives and children (sources vary)
• His precise height (7 ft 6 in vs. 7 ft 7 in) (Voice of America (U.S. government-funded news service))
• The full details of his final illness, including which specific medication triggered Stevens–Johnson syndrome

Quotes and perspectives

“He used his fame to draw attention to the crisis in Darfur and to raise funds for the people of Sudan.” — The Enough Project (NGO), ESPN (sports news network)

“This is a true humanitarian and an ambassador for the sport of basketball.” — Washington Wizards statement, ESPN (sports news network)

“Bol stayed longer than expected after South Sudan’s president asked him to make election appearances and counter corruption.” — ESPN (sports news network)

“The skin around his mouth was so sore that he went 11 days without eating and could barely talk.” — ESPN (sports news network)

Summary

Manute Bol was not 7-foot-7 because he was born to be a basketball player. He was 7-foot-7 because a tumor in his pituitary gland flooded his body with growth hormone — a condition that would also shape his health, his lifespan, and the way the world saw him. He used that visibility to fund schools, speak out against corruption, and feed refugees. For anyone researching “Manute Bol cause of death” or “Manute Bol syndrome,” the takeaway is clear: his body gave him a platform, but it also gave him a deadline. The implication: South Sudan’s humanitarian projects he started must find new champions, or they will go unfinished.

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For a deeper look at Manute Bols height and medical history, the Canada Angle article also explores his acromegaly diagnosis and financial losses.

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