“I respect how he approaches the game.” These were Kevin Durant‘s words for Bul Kuol. Yes, that’s a 2x NBA Champion tipping his hat to someone who’s had a breakthrough! Truly, what a platform the 2024 Paris Olympics is turning out to be for Royal Ivey’s boys. While Team USA learned their lesson and came prepared after South Sudan’s showcase game stunner, Kuol wasn’t nervous and brought his A-Game to mark an injury-riddled KD.

Notably, the Slim Reaper had a monstrous comeback game against Serbia scoring 23, and fans expected a similar outburst. However, South Sudan’s Bul Kuol limited the Slim Reaper to only 14 points with his impressive lockdown defense. But who is this player, the 27-year-old forward, who even won KD’s respect with his impressive performance during their latest encounter?

Bul Kuol’s early life; the time when he idolized Ronaldo!

As South Sudan continued to fight through internal turmoil because of the ongoing Civil War, in a small village, Bul Kuol took his first breath on January 10, 1997, joining his five siblings. In the hopes of leaving the war-torn nation, Bul escaped South Sudan when he was just a kid, along with his mother, siblings, and uncle. Meanwhile, his father stayed behind to take care of the rest of the family.

Upon leaving their motherland, the family made a Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya their temporary home. However, oblivious to the hoop culture, Bul initially had no interest in playing basketball and loved soccer instead, idolizing big names like Wayne Rooney, Ronaldinho, and Cristiano Ronaldo. “We would play soccer all day. We couldn’t afford a ball, so we would get a balloon, blow it up with air and then wrap it with old clothes. We made our own soccer ball!” he revealed in an interview.

And his thoughts about basketball? Well, he spared no mercy to the game. “I hated basketball.” When Bul turned 9, he moved to Australia with his family, being far more exposed to the game that would end up being his career! Moreover, it was his uncle, Garang Kuer Bul, who made him fall in love with basketball. “He was playing basketball a lot, and wherever he went, I was there. I just fell in love with it. I spent so much time around basketball that it became part of my life. Whatever I did revolved around basketball.”

Moving to America to pursue his basketball dream, Bul joined the California Baptist University and played there for two seasons, averaging 5.8 points. But he took a giant leap during his senior year as he joined the Detroit Mercy Titans, where he increased his stat line to 15.6 points and nearly five rebounds!

Bul Kuol Pro career and South Sudan Basketball

While Kuol never made it to the NBA, he made his debut in Australia’s NBL as he joined the Cairns Taipans in 2021. Continuing his impressive performance from his college days, he averaged 10.4 points in his first two seasons. However, he would make another giant leap a year later, joining Le Mans to play in France’s LNB Pro A. But his game didn’t transition well in Europe and his numbers dropped significantly.

However, that didn’t affect his return to the NBL as he finished last season averaging 12.7 points for the Taipans. And because of his impressive comeback, Bul recently inked a three-year deal with the Sydney Kings, where he will play for the foreseeable future.

Although Kuol’s pro career seems to be on the right track, he also faced a major two-nation dilemma last year. Because of his dual citizenship, he received offers from both Australia and South Sudan to join their respective camp. Despite spending the majority of his life down under, Kuol chose to represent his birthplace on the world stage. “As soon as I saw the message, it was a no-brainer. Of course – it would be my pleasure, my honor to do something like that. That’s how it all started,” he remarked.

While he prioritized his heritage by picking South Sudan, Bul had the utmost respect for Australia and called it his “adopted home.” And his decision has paid off remarkably as he has been doing wonders in the Paris Olympics. Going head-to-head against Kevin Durant, he showcased his incredible defense while also scoring 16 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals in the tough loss.

KD couldn’t help but appreciate the youngster’s effort. “Oh, he’s in Australia? Yeah, man, he’s super physical. Love his intensity, I respect how he approaches the game. They didn’t back down at all.”

Hopefully, this platform will provide a massive boost to Bul Kuol’s pro career.

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Silas Demary Jr.