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People never really understood Manute Bol. An ungainly giant, he was often portrayed clownishly, posed with Muggsy Bogues or sent out by Don Nelson to shoot three pointers.
Nonetheless, he came to the U.S. as a young man from a tribal society, endured being treated as a freakish curiosity and carved out a place himself.
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After all of that, we learned that he wasn't just a guy willing to clown but a man willing to do anything to help his countrymen, and that indeed, he was willing to put his life on the line.
He did and lost it along with everything else, but we would hope that everyone recognizes that Bol was a giant in more ways than one.
Now his son, who grew up here, is coming up. Here's a bizarre thought to keep in mind: Bol Bol, at 6-10, is almost a foot shorter than his father was.
He's also a much more natural basketball player. And he's just 14, so he might get closer to his dad's size before all is said and done. Here's some video to check out.