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How tall are professional basketball players
What Is The Average Height Of NBA Players in 2022?
Height is one of the main things that NBA recruiters typically look for in their players. It’s also what people are most curious about when it comes to basketball players.
When evaluating whether a player deserves a spot on the NBA draft board, physical measurements and test results aren’t the only determining factors. But a player’s height does highlight a few of their positive attributes as well as give an idea of the certain limitations they might have.
So, how tall are NBA players exactly? And what is the average height among them?
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Average Height Of An NBA Player By Position
You might be wondering “what’s the average height for a man in the US?” The average American male height is 5’9”, which only emphasizes how tall NBA players are.
During the 2021-2022 NBA season, the average height of NBA players was about 6’6” or 198.6cm tall, which is 8 inches taller than the US average height for males.
Biggest Hands in NBA
But one thing you should know is that not every player in a team is required to be tall. You’ll notice that most teams have significant height differences between their players. Each position has a different height requirement.
Average Height of a Point Guard
The point guard responsibilities involve handling the ball so tall players aren’t really a requirement for this position. They’re usually the ones playmakers on the court.
In 1952, point guards were often seen as the shortest players on the court with an average height of 6’. But, over the years, the average height has seen a significant change. In 1987, NBA point guards were usually about 6’3” tall.
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Magic Johnson was the tallest player in this position in the history of the NBA with a height of 6’9”, although this height wasn’t exactly ideal for Johnson’s position on the court at that time.
The shortest point guard in the NBA is Muggsey Bogues at 5’3”. Instead of height, basketball IQ and playmaking skills are the main considerations for the point guard position.
These past few years the average point guard height lies somewhere around the 6’ to 6’3” range.
NBA players ranked by age
Average Height of a Shooting Guard
The team’s best shooter is placed in the shooting guard position. They should be able to shoot the ball no matter how far the distance is. Dribbling skills are also a requirement for a shooting guard.
Height isn’t too important for the shooting guard position either. Sometimes, NBA teams appoint their shortest member as their shooting guard. What’s required of this position is being able to quickly pass the ball and have the skills to see the court from a perspective that lets them make the right choices on the court.
One of the NBA's best shooting guards is James Harden, with a height of 6’4”. In 1952, the average height for a shooting guard was around 6’1”. It changed to 6’5” during the 2005 NBA season.
These days, shooting guards usually fall at around 6’3” to 6’5” tall. Corey Brewer is one of the tallest shooting guards with a height of 6’9”.
Average Height of a Small Forward
This position is important in court. They’re responsible for facing head-to-head against the players from the other team and roaming all over the court. A small forward player needs to be of average height for making small shots, playing inside and outside the court, and making long shots.
A small forward is also incredibly agile and good at shooting. In 1952, small forward players were around 6’4” tall. It gradually increased over the years, peaking at 6’8 in 2015.
The NBA's best small forward is LeBron James with a height of 6’7”. Kevin Durant is also another incredible small forward at 6’8” tall. In the recent season, the average height for this position falls at 6’7”.
How many game are in a NBA season
Average Height of a Power Forward
The responsibility of power forwards has changed over the years. Back then, they were given to the tallest players in the team since they focused mostly on rebounds and lay-ups.
Now, power forwards focus more on scoring 3-pointers. But in terms of height, some of the taller players in the team are still usually given the position of power forward, with an average height of around 6’7” to 6’11”.
Instead of height, it’s the average weight of players in this position that has seen the most change. In the last four years, the average weight decreased by around 10 lbs., allowing the players to move faster and more flexibly and improving their performance on the court.
Average Height of a Center
The center position is usually given to the team’s tallest player since they need the advantage of height in order to make rebounds and close shots. They’re usually found close to the basket, making shots and blocking the other team from scoring.
Physical strength is also needed for a center. Two of the more notable centers are Rudy Gobert and Shaquille O’Neal with their heights being at 7’, which was also the average height for a center player in 1996.
Right now, the average height of center players falls around the 6’9” to 7’ range.
Average NBA Height Table
This table showcases the average height of each team for the new NBA season.
Team
Number of Players
Average Height
Atlanta Hawks
13
199.7cm
Boston Celtics
12
200.4cm
Brooklyn Nets
13
198.5cm
Charlotte Hornets
13
202.8cm
Chicago Bulls
15
200.3cm
Cleveland Cavaliers
15
200.9cm
Dallas Mavericks
13
201.8cm
Denver Nuggets
15
200.5cm
Detroit Pistons
16
200.0cm
Golden State Warriors
13
199.3cm
Houston Rockets
18
198.6cm
Indiana Pacers
14
200. 4cm
Los Angeles Clippers
17
199.3cm
Los Angeles Lakers
14
199.1cm
Memphis Grizzlies
16
199.8cm
Miami Heat
13
200.0cm
Milwaukee Bucks
17
197.6cm
Minnesota Timberwolves
15
199.6cm
New Orleans Pelicans
15
199.1cm
New York Knicks
13
199.5cm
Oklahoma City Thunder
18
201.7cm
Orlando Magic
16
201.9cm
Philadelphia 76ers
16
198.8cm
Phoenix Suns
14
199.1cm
Portland Trail Blazers
15
198.7cm
Sacramento Kings
14
201.1cm
San Antonio Spurs
15
201.0cm
Toronto Raptors
17
199.6cm
Utah Jazz
14
197. 4cm
Washington Wizards
15
202.4cm
How Tall Is The Average NBA Player?
Every new season sees a change in the average NBA height. Players during the earlier seasons weren’t as tall as the players we currently see now.
In 1952, the average height was 6’4”. It changed to 6’7” in 1987. Although the average height decreased a little in the subsequent years, it’s still taller than it used to be back then.
Right now, the average height of NBA players is 6’6”.
Change in NBA Height Trends
Every season, the heights of NBA players are assessed and the average results are always a bit different every time. The average height for the different positions changes every year.
Since the early NBA years, the average height has steadily increased with players becoming taller and taller. This led to people believing that height is the ultimate requirement for being an NBA player.
However, in the early years, most of the taller players did not contribute as much to the game. During the 1980s, positions were then decided and assigned based on the players’ heights.
It was obvious that some positions, like the center position, for instance, required significant height advantage to perform their roles well.
Although height isn’t the ultimate requirement for becoming a basketball player, it is still essential nonetheless.
Read this article would provide you with all that you should know about the NBA season.
Have NBA Players Always Been That Tall
The height trend of NBA players from 1952 until the current year shows an increase since the first recorded season of NBA. Looking at the average height back during the early years of the NBA, we can see that players back then were almost three inches smaller than the basketball players of today.
Interestingly enough, the average height for players peaked in 1987. Since then, the average height never went past the 6’7” range. But, the average weight of players did increase which could be attributed to players becoming more athletic and muscular, instead of becoming taller.
Minimum Height Requirements for NBA
There are no official height requirements to play for the NBA. For instance, Muggsey Bogues was only 5’3” but he played for 15 seasons.
If you dream of making it into the NBA, then your height shouldn’t be a deterrent. Instead, you should focus more on improving your skills and talents to give the scouts a reason to put you on the draft board.
Who are the 10 tallest players in NBA history?
These are the top ten tallest basketball players in the history of the NBA, along with the teams they played for:
Gheorhe Muresan – 7’7” (played for the Washington Bullets and New Jersey Nets)
Manute Bol – 7’6” (played for the Washington Bullets and three other teams)
Slavko Vranes – 7’6” (played for the Portland Trail Blazers)
Shawn Bradley – 7’6” (played for the Philadelphia 76ers and three other teams)
Yao Ming – 7’6” (played for the Houston Rockets)
Chuck Nevitt – 7’5” (played for the Houston Rockets and five other teams)
Pavel Podkolzin – 7’5” (played for the Dallas Mavericks)
Sim Bhullar – 7’5” (played for the Sacramento Kings)
Tacko Fall – 7’5” (played for the Boston Celtics)
Mark Eaton – 7’4” (played for the Utah Jazz)
Shortest NBA Players in History
This list shows the players with the shortest height in NBA history but made up for it with lots of heart:
Tyrone Curtis ‘Muggsey’ Bogues – 5’3” (played for the Washington Bullets and two other teams)
Earl Antoine Boykins – 5’5” (played for the Denver Nuggets)
Anthony Jerome ‘Spud’ Webb – 5’7” (played for the Detroit Pistons)
Calvin Murphy – 5’9” (played for the Houston Rockets)
Nate Robinson – 5’9” (played for the New York Knicks and the Boston Celtics)
Michael Adams – 5’10” (played for the Denver Nuggets)
Damon ‘Might Mouse’ Stoudamire – 5’10” (played for the Portland Trailblazers)
Avery ‘Little General’ Johnson – 5’10” (played for the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks)
Allen Iverson – 6’0” (played for the Philadelphia 76ers)
Chris Paul – 6’0” (played for the Los Angeles Clippers)
Correlation of Height and Victories
There is no exact correlation between a player’s height and their chances of winning a basketball game. Although it is an important aspect, the conditions for every game never stay the same and there are always different factors at play such as differences in tactics, injuries, and other factors that influence a game.
A player being tall doesn’t guarantee a victory in basketball. For example, Michael Jordan, a former NBA player who is considered a legend in the basketball scene, was 6’6” but was incredibly versatile and won six championships in eight years.
You don’t have to be the tallest in your team to be incredibly successful as a basketball player. Other skills are needed in a basketball game and height isn’t the only requirement.
Conclusion
Although the average height for NBA players has not surpassed its peak in 1987, it is still significantly larger than the average height of an ordinary American citizen.
However, this shows that the NBA isn’t all about the height of the players anymore. Instead, scouts have paid more attention to other aspects such as basketball IQ and their different skills on the court. The requirements to be drafted may vary depending on the location but height is no longer a main factor.
Modern basketball now encourages and prioritizes skill over anything else, which only makes basketball games even more enjoyable and exciting to watch.
The Average Height of NBA Players from 1952-2022
This post was updated to include numbers from the 2021/2022 season
In a great piece for Sports Illustrated about 7-foot NBA players, author Pablo S. Torre estimates that the number of American men between the ages of 20 and 40 who are 7 feet or taller is likely below 70.
During the 2021-2022 NBA season, there were 13 American players who were at least 7 feet tall. So, if the estimates above are correct, that would mean that there is a whopping 18% chance that you are going to make it to the NBA if you are at least 7 feet tall!
Now maybe you don’t need to grow to 7 feet to make it to the NBA, but there is no denying that body height is a huge advantage in basketball – you can only make up so much by learning how to jump higher. In this article, I want to take a closer look at the average height of NBA players across different positions and how it changed during the history of the NBA.
How tall is the average NBA player?
In the 2021-2022 NBA season, the average basketball player was 6’6″ tall (198.6cm) which is about 8 inches taller than the average American male (5’9 1/2″), but still 13 inches smaller than the tallest player ever in the NBA, Georghe Muresan (7’7″).
Interestingly, the average height of NBA players of previous seasons has been corrected downwards compared to my last study done in 2018. I attribute this to updated measurements of players’ height.
Starting with the 2019-2020 season, NBA teams were forced to submit actual height numbers (without basketball shoes) measured by their team doctors. Before, numbers were often skewed by “politics”. Kevin Durant liked to joke that he’s 7-foot when talking to women, but 6-9 in basketball circles.
Average NBA player height by year
If we take a look at the average height of NBA players during the history of the league we can see that basketball players in 1952 were almost 3 inches smaller than today!
After that, players continuously grew taller until the apex was reached in 1987 at 6’7″ tall (201. 2cm). Since then we have seen a small decrease in player heights which might be attributed to the recent change in player measurement.
Interestingly, while average player height has stopped growing in 1987, players continued to get heavier until 2011 when they reached the peak of 221 lbs. This correlates with the NBA becoming more athletic, powerful, and muscular.
This trend has stopped during the last years as basketball is becoming become a much faster, and more perimeter-oriented game, so it makes sense that players are getting leaner again.
Evolution of Player Height & Weight in the NBA from 1952-2022
Average player height only tells half of the story. It doesn’t give you insights into how height is distributed among the players. Is every player exactly 6’6″, or are there a ton of guards around 6 feet and a lot of centers around 7 feet and it just happens to average out to 6’6?
If we take a look at the chart below we can, for example, observe that NBA players at 6’5″ are most common and account for 13. 7% of all minutes played.
Distribution of Height in the NBA in 2022
At the extremes, you will notice that there were only 21 players at 6 feet or below (2.5% of playing time) and 29 players at 7 feet or taller (4.6%)
Overall, we observe a big concentration of players between 6’4″ and 6’8″ – these players made up over half of all minutes played!
If we consider how common a body height of 6ft is among the general population and how few of them make it to the NBA, it becomes obvious just how skilled and insanely rare All-Stars like Chris Paul are!
How tall do you have to be play in the NBA?
Your dream is to make it to the NBA one day? Muggsy Bogues, the shortest NBA player ever, was only 5’3, but there is no doubt that it is easier to make the NBA if you are taller!
But just how tall do you need to be?
This calculator allows you to compare yourself to all NBA players who play at your position: Just pick your height, weight, and position and it will tell you how you stack up to NBA players! Just for fun, you can also compare yourself to players of other decades!
NBA Comparison Calculator
Let’s take a closer look at the evolution of players at all five positions:
Average NBA point guard height
The average NBA point guard in 2022 is 6’2″ tall.
We can see that point guards were smallest during the 1952/53 season with an average height of around 6 feet. Since then, they have grown taller almost every year until they reached a peak in 1987 at 6’3″. During this time, big point guards like Magic Johnson at 6’9″ or Reggie Theus at 6’7″ were among the leaders in minutes played in the NBA.
Only 4 years later, in 1991, the average point guard had shrunk back to 6’1″ with tiny players like Spudd Webb (5’6″) and Muggsy Bogues (5’3″) getting major minutes.
During the 2019/2020 season, point guards had a record height (6’2.5″). One reason for this is that basketball-reference.com categorized big and versatile players like Lebron James, Luka Doncic and Ben Simmons as point guards.
Overall, it feels like average player size at the point guard position is less determined by trends and more by player talent. If you have a legendary playmaker like Magic Johnson you make him your point guard, even if he has a power forward body. But no coach would put a regular power forward at point guard just to increase the size at this position. Basketball IQ and understanding of the game are much more important at this position!
During the 2021/2022 season, the most common height for point guards was 6’1″, examples are players like Trae Young, Darius Garland, or Fred VanVleet. The biggest Point Guard was LaMelocBall at 6’17, the smallest was Facundo Campazzo at 5’10.
Average Height of Shooting Guards in the NBA
The average NBA shooting guard in 2022 is 6’5″ tall.
In comparison to point guards, the change in height of shooting guards was more of a steady rise that has reached a plateau at 6’5″ around the year 2000 and went down to almost 6’4″ in recent years.
The most common heights for shooting guards are 6’4″ and 6’5″ which make up for almost 50% of played minutes at this position. Players with the most minutes at this size are Devin Booker, James Harden, and Zach LaVine.
NBA Height of Small Forwards
The average NBA small forward in 2022 is 6’6″ tall.
Small forwards show a very similar trend as shooting guards, getting bigger continuously until hitting a plateau around 2000 just under 6’8 and losing an inch in recent seasons (again probably due to the more exact measurements).
Similar to the SG position, the SF position seems to be very well-defined with a majority of players measuring in either 6’5″ or 6’7″. Examples of SFs at this height are DeMar DeRozan, Joe Harris, and Jimmy Butler.
How tall are Power Forwards in the NBA?
The average NBA power forward in 2022 is 6’8″ tall.
The power forward is probably the position that has changed the most in the modern NBA. PF’s used to be big and strong low post players who battled for rebounds and scored on post-ups, but players like Dirk Nowitzki have completely changed the game. Nowadays, power forwards are often used to stretch the floor shooting a lot of threes and acting as playmakers on the perimeter.
Surprisingly, this change of playing style is not reflected at all in the average height of power forwards until the 2019/2020 were players were remeasured. Since 1987, they are on average 6’9″ tall with very little year-to-year fluctuation until height starts dropping to 6’8″.
How tall are Centers in the NBA?
The average NBA center in 2022 is 6’10” tall.
Centers show a very similar trend as Power Forwards. While average height reached a peak in 1996 with almost 7 feet, average weight continued to increase steadily until 2014 when it maxed out at 255lbs.
There is very little variety among centers when it comes to height: almost 60% of centers are either 6’10 or 6’11”. Giants like Boban Marjanovic at 7’3″ are very rare – even in the NBA!
Data Sources & Notes
Data was collected from basketballreference.com . There are a few shortcomings of this data:
Players are assigned a single position per season. In reality, a lot of players play multiple positions every game. For example, some players start games as a shooting guard but take over point guard duties with a bench unit later.
Height and weight data is registered once per player. This means that the data has Shaq weighing exactly 325lbs every season, and we all know that that’s not true
If you take a look at distributions over multiple seasons, players are counted once per season. This means, that if the graph says there were 3 players at 5’3 from 1992-1995, it refers to three seasons of Muggsy Bogues, not three different players
If you have any questions, please let me know in the comments!
how tall should a basketball player be, why are basketball players tall
Danila Chezhin
Professional basketball players are all very tall people. This stereotype has probably existed since the birth of the orange ball game. But to what extent does this thesis reflect the real state of affairs? Do short people really have no chance to play basketball professionally? Let's test the myth for strength. What is the best height for basketball?
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How tall do you need to be to play basketball?
Growth is what coaches first of all pay attention to when recruiting young players for basketball clubs. As a result of proper physical development, it is easier for naturally tall children to gain a foothold in the basketball team. It should be understood that high growth, although it is very important for a basketball player, is by no means a dogma. The history of the game knows a lot of examples when undersized athletes achieved great success, actively using other strengths. Suffice it to recall the great 160-centimeter point guard Mugsy Bogz, who played 14 seasons in the NBA. Bogz is one of the leaders in the world's major basketball league in assists and steals. Bogz's example is far from the only one.
The average height of an NBA player since the league's inception has hovered around 190 centimeters. The average figure is large, but it cannot take into account the peculiarities of basketball tactics and the peculiarities of a particular historical era of sports. According to the rules of the game, a team of five people enters the basketball court at the same time. Each of the five solves its own problems and, accordingly, each has its own growth requirements. For example, the center player, whose main goal is to fight under the ring for picking up the ball, is the tallest - around 210 cm. And for basketball players who play the ball on the perimeter, on the contrary, high growth can become an obstacle. Handling the ball in dribbling requires flexibility and dexterity in body control. Point guards in basketball are called "little guards". Height at 180-190 cm is normal for them. So it’s impossible to answer the question “what height is needed for basketball” with accuracy - the data for each position will differ markedly.
Why are most basketball players still tall?
Although, as we found out above, height is an important, but far from a determining component of anthropometry for playing basketball, the average height of players still stands out from the average for people in general. This indicator is achieved largely due to the fact that there are a lot of abnormally tall people in basketball. If you look at the top tallest players in history, there will be basketball players over 230 centimeters tall. For example, the well-known center of African origin Manute Bol - 231 cm. Or the Chinese basketball player Yao Ming, who played in the NBA for the Houston Rockets - 229cm.
In modern basketball, where the emphasis is increasingly on perimeter work and three-point shots, the importance for teams of players 220 centimeters tall and above is steadily declining. However, almost every club still has at least one such player. Due to their presence, a high average height of basketball players is formed.
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Does basketball make children grow taller?
Like any sport, basketball, with the right approach, in childhood improves the overall physical and emotional state. As for increasing the intensity of growth, basketball can play a role here too. It is clear, however, that game training by itself will not bring the desired effect. Other factors are also important, such as proper nutrition, recovery procedures, and so on.
What is the best age to play basketball?
Age limits for admission of children to basketball clubs are usually the following:
minimum threshold - 4 years
maximum - 12-13 years old
But here, as in the case of growth, there are no rules that cannot be broken. At first, the coaches of sports schools lay down the basic skills of the game and carry out general physical training. If you wish, you can learn basic things even at the age of 15-16. And physical strength can be acquired in other disciplines. It is not uncommon for people to come to basketball at a young age from other sports. For example, in American university sports, where baseball players, volleyball players, and football players often become basketball players.
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What height is needed for basketball and how can it be increased?
You don't have to be an expert in team sports to understand that tall basketball players are usually more successful than those who are shorter. There are exceptions, but they only confirm the general rule. In this regard, this begs the question, what height is needed for basketball? It is noticeable that there are no low people in this sport, but not every basketball player reaches two meters in height. In this article, we will look at how important height is for a basketball player, what it should be. You will learn a lot about an interesting game, and you will also get an answer to the question: is it true that basketball makes people taller.
Physical strength in basketball is not the key to success. Its use is limited by a number of strict rules:
you must not push or touch the hands of the one who dribbles;
kicking the ball is prohibited;
brawls on the court are punishable by free kicks and removal from the game.
A strong person will not necessarily be successful in this sport. The main criterion is different, and this is growth.
Why are basketball players tall?
It is easy to see that professional basketball players are always taller than average. It can be assumed that only very tall guys go to this sport initially, but this is not so. It would be more correct to say that tall athletes are more likely to succeed. The basket is located high enough, the higher the growth, the easier it is to get into it, as well as to catch the ball in a jump.
This is not the only reason. Players are constantly training, doing dynamic stretching, relieving the spine from excessive stress by jumping. Therefore, their height will not become smaller due to poor posture, as is often the case with people who lead a sedentary lifestyle.
What should be the height?
When the NBA was in its infancy, the average height of team members was 188 cm. By the 80s of the last century, this bar had risen by 10 cm. At the moment, growth averages 195-198 cm. There are also distributions in terms of positions, for example, the height of the point guards is 188 cm, the center players are 211. Such indicators make it possible to achieve success.
As far as high school teams are concerned, basketball players are usually no taller than their non-playing peers. On average, for guys aged 16, it is 175-177 cm. Therefore, parents may not wonder if their child is suitable for basketball in height, it is better to see if he really has the data necessary for this.
Qualities important for basketball:
dexterity. This is a defining parameter, it gives a competitive advantage on the site;
flexibility. The range of motion of body parts depends on stretching, it determines how dexterous a person will be;
speed. The game is very dynamic, and those people who can run fast are in priority. It is also important to make decisions quickly, often split seconds are allotted for its adoption;
endurance. Without stamina, it will not be possible to remain productive throughout the game;
maneuverability. Basketball players very quickly change from one position to another, they must be maneuverable so as not to interfere with comrades and easily bypass rivals.
If a child has these qualities, then he can be given to the basketball section. He will be more likely to succeed than less agile and flexible peers. Growth is an important but not the only criterion for success. There are standards, but at all times there have been exceptions to the general rules. For example, Tyrone Curtis Bogz, the shortest NBA player for the entire period of the existence of this organization, his height is only 160 cm. And Gheorghe Dumitru Muresan became the tallest, his height is as much as 231 cm.
Parents often send their boys to training because they want them to grow up tall. Let's see how it is justified.
Will it be possible to grow?
It is believed that playing basketball as a child helps boys grow up and become tall. Many parents believe in him. Moreover, it can be heard from the coaches of the children's sections. They motivate their point of view by the fact that basketball training is a constant dynamic stretching. Jumping and throwing the ball relieve the spine from excessive stress, allowing it to grow freely and unhindered.
The fact that parents believe in this and send their children to sports is good. Reasonably selected physical activity positively affects the general state of health, makes people stronger physically and morally, and instills self-discipline. But you should not rely heavily on sports, since the last word will still remain with genetics.
It is impossible to influence genes through training.
Basketball players differ from non-athletic people and representatives of other sports not only in height. You can see with the naked eye that they have longer arms than the average person. Based on this, we can conclude that frequent throws and other basketball movements still have an effect on the growth of bones and other body structures.
Let's consider all the factors that basketball affects the growth of the body and limbs:
hormonal changes. Do not be afraid of them, they occur within the normal range. Frequent performance of explosive movements makes changes in the general hormonal background. Under their influence, the pituitary gland increases the production of growth hormone, this is one of the most important chemical compounds in the human body of any gender;