John Bol

John Bol arrived in the United States in March 2021 and immediately made an impact on the high school basketball scene. At 7-foot-2, his height is the first thing that catches your eye, but not far behind is his exuberant personality. Fans flock to him after games for photos and autographs and his charisma shows with his 4.0 GPA and the ability to speak fluently in English, Swahili and Arabic. He’s not too shabby on the court either. Originally from South Sudan, Bol started playing basketball in 2019 while living in Nairobi with his brother. He first played in the United States at St. Louis Christian Brothers where he quickly broke the school record for blocks in his sophomore season. He transferred to Sunrise Christian Academy in Kansas for the 2022-2023 high school season, and he also plays for MOKAN Elite on the Nike EYBL Circuit. “I can defend anyone, one through five,” Bol told On3’s Joe Tipton. “Because I can easily move my feet. Seven-foot guys usually cannot move well or slide their feet. But when it comes to me, that’s actually easy. Before basketball, I started playing soccer when I was six years old. So, when I switched to basketball, it was easy for me to guard people. I have a motor that I bring to the court every single day. I talk a lot on the defensive end. I have a jump shot too, with a soft touch around the rim that I’m still working on right now.”