How Manute Bol saved Sydney Kings star's life

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How Manute Bol saved Sydney Kings star's life

1988: Manute Bol of the Golden State Warriors walks to the court during an NBA game in the 1988-89 season. Photo: Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images

NBA cult hero Manute Bol saved the life of Kings star Kouat Noi

Kouat Noi spent three months in hospital as a baby with a rare, deadly disease. It’s a miracle he became a professional basketball player — and he says he owes it all to NBA cult hero Manute Bol.

The Sydney Kings star was so sick as a six-month old baby he almost died. A rare blood pressure condition forced him to spend three months in a South Sudan hospital with genuine fears he wouldn’t survive. He battled to breathe, while the lack of blood flow turned his tiny body pale white.

“Dad later told me I was very close to dying — I had no oxygen,” Noi told Code Sports Basketball reporter Matt Logue.

Kouat Noi of the Kings celebrates during the round eight NBL match between Sydney Kings and South East Melbourne Phoenix at Qudos Bank Arena, on November 08, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. Photo: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Read Noi's full story at Code Sports Basketball.

Noi’s father Ater Dhiu couldn’t afford the treatment for his newborn son. Fortunately, his close friend was South Sudan’s first NBA player Manute Bol. He asked the 7'7" cult hero in could foot the bill. Bol didn’t hesitate, he flew back to Sudan from America and paid thousands for the medical assistance to save Kouat’s life.

“God rest Manute’s soul — if I could thank him for saving my life I would,” he said about South Sudan’s original NBA star who played 624 NBA games for four teams.

“Dad used to play basketball with him in South Sudan and they’d built a relationship.

“He told Manute my son has been in hospital for three months and he is going to die soon if there is no support.

“He put his hand up and gave the doctors all the medical payments to help me."

Manute Bol of the Golden State Warriors shoots from the elbow against the Los Angeles Lakers at the Great Western Forum, Los Angeles, in the 1988-89 NBA season. Photo: Tim de Frisco /Allsport

Noi is averaging 9.6 points in 15 minutes per game off the bench this season.

Aged four, Noi his family moved to Australia, growing up in Newcastle before playing alongside Ben Simmons at Montverde Academy in Florida and then attended Texas Christian University for two seasons in the NCAA.

He decided to start his professional career after those two college years and joined the Cairns Taipans of the NBL in 2019/20. Had a strong rookie season with 9.5 points and 5.7 rebounds a game as a versatile forward who could have an impact inside and out.

Kouat Noi of the Kings posterises Gorjok Gak of the Jackjumpers during the round seven NBL match between Sydney Kings and Tasmania Jackjumpers at Qudos Bank Arena, on November 03, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. Photo: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Injury limited him to 34 games over the next two seasons, but he continued to show encouraging signs of what he could produce when on the floor and then lit up the NBL1 North in the 2022 season with a point to prove that he was back to full health.

Won the league's MVP award and took USC Rip City all the way to the Grand Final before joining the Sydney Kings for NBL23 and becoming a crucial member of the team that went on to win the championship.

Had another standout NBL1 North season at Rip City again making the All-First Team in 2023 before delivering 10.0 points and 4.5 rebounds in NBL24 at the Kings, and then joining the Darwin Salties in 2024 and having another 21.5 points and 6.2 rebounds leading into NBL25.