Manute Bol (English pronunciation: /məˈnuːt ˈboʊl/; October 16, 1962 – June 19, 2010[1]) was a Sudanese-born basketball player and activist. At 7 feet, 7 inches (2.31 meters), Bol was one of the tallest players ever to appear in the National Basketball Association, along with Gheorghe Mureşan. Unlike Mureşan, however, Bol was naturally tall and did not have a Pituitary disease. Bol was officially measured at 7 feet, 6 3/4 inches tall by the Guinness Book of World Records. Bol is believed to have been born on October 16, 1962 in either Turalei or Gogrial, Sudan (now South Sudan). He was the son of a Dinka tribal chief, who gave him the name "Manute", which means "special blessing." Bol played basketball for many teams over his career. He played for two colleges and four NBA teams. He was known as a specialist player; his shot blocking skills were considered among the best in the history of the sport, but other aspects of his game were considered fairly weak. In his career, he had more blocked shots than points scored.