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How tall is the smallest basketball player
How tall is the smallest basketball player
Who are the shortest NBA players? Full list with height, team, nationality
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Even in a league full of giants, small players are capable of doing big things in the NBA.
According to NBA.com, a total of 27 players who appeared in at least one game during the 2021-22 season measured in at 6 feet or shorter.
A number of those players remain unsigned as of this writing, but the list includes a trio of former All-Stars in Isaiah Thomas, Kyle Lowry and Kemba Walker, an NBA legend in Chris Paul, and a few role players such as Patty Mills, Davion Mitchell, Jose Alvarado and Ish Smith.
MORE: Who are the 10 shortest players in NBA history?
Who are the shortest NBA players?
Two-time All-Star Isaiah Thomas is currently listed as the shortest player in the NBA at 5-foot-9. There is a group of players listed at 5-foot-10, headlined by Nuggets guard Facundo Campazzo.
Of players 6 feet and under, Chris Paul is the only one who was named an All-Star in the 2021-22 season.![]()
A member of the NBA's 75th Anniversary Team, Paul is one of the most accomplished players in NBA history. In addition to 12 All-Star selections and 11 All-NBA selections, he's led the NBA in assists five times and steals six times.
The following list is compiled from NBA.com's database.
Shortest players in the NBA | Rank | Player | Height | Team | Nationality |
| 1. | Isaiah Thomas | 5-9 | - | USA |
| 2. | Facundo Campazzo | 5-10 | Nuggets | Argentina |
| | Jared Harper | 5-10 | - | USA |
| | Markus Howard | 5-10 | - | USA |
| | Tremont Waters | 5-10 | - | USA |
3. | Carsen Edwards | 5-11 | - | USA |
| | Chris Chiozza | 5-11 | - | USA |
| | D.J. Augustin | 5-11 | - | USA |
| | Jordan McLaughlin | 5-11 | Timberwolves | USA |
| | Keifer Sykes | 5-11 | - | USA |
| | McKinley Wright IV | 5-11 | Mavericks | USA |
| 4. | Aaron Holiday | 6-0 | Hawks | USA |
| | Brandon Goodwin | 6-0 | - | USA |
| | Carlik Jones | 6-0 | Bulls | USA |
| | Chris Paul | 6-0 | Suns | USA |
| | Darren Collison | 6-0 | - | USA |
| | Davion Mitchell | 6-0 | Kings | USA |
| | Derrick Walton Jr. | 6-0 | - | USA |
| | Ish Smith | 6-0 | Nuggets | USA |
| | Jose Alvarado | 6-0 | Pelicans | USA |
| | Kemba Walker | 6-0 | Pistons | USA |
| | Kyle Lowry | 6-0 | Heat | USA |
| | Patty Mills | 6-0 | Nets | Australia |
| | Tim Frazier | 6-0 | - | USA |
| | Trey Burke | 6-0 | Rockets | USA |
| | Tyus Jones | 6-0 | Grizzlies | USA |
| | Zavier Simpson | 6-0 | Magic | USA |
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Who are the shortest players in NBA history?
The shortest player in NBA history is Muggsy Bogues at 5-foot-3. The shortest player to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, meanwhile, is Calvin Murphy at 5-foot-9.
List of all players 5-foot-8 or shorter in NBA history | Rank | Player | Height | NBA playing career |
| 1. | Muggsy Bogues | 5-3 | 1987-2001 |
2. | Early Boykins | 5-5 | 1998-2012 |
| 3. | Spud Webb | 5-6 | 1985-98 |
| | Mel Hirsch | 5-6 | 1946-47 |
| 5. | Greg Grant | 5-7 | 1989-96 |
| | Keith Jennings | 5-7 | 1992-95 |
| | Red Klotz | 5-7 | 1947-48 |
| | Wataru Misaka | 5-7 | 1947-48 |
| | Monte Towe | 5-7 | 1976-77 |
| 10. | Dino Martin | 5-8 | 1946-48 |
| | Willie Somerset | 5-8 | 1965-66 |
| | Charlie Criss | 5-8 | 1977-86 |
Spud Webb, tied for the third-shortest player in NBA history, is the shortest player ever to win the NBA's Slam Dunk contest.
Louis Herman "Red" Klotz, a member of the championship-winning Baltimore Bullets, is the shortest player ever to win an NBA title.
Monte Towe, who played one season each in the ABA and the NBA, is the shortest ever player to have played in the ABA.
Wataru Misaka, a member of the New York Knicks in 1947-48, was the first Asian player in the league.
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Top 10 shortest players in NBA history
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Arvydas Sabonis of the Portland Trailblazers defends Earl Boykins of the Golden State Warriors. (Photo by Tom Hauck/Icon SMI)
Andrew Champagne
April 7th, 2021
The NBA is seen as a big man’s game, but over the years many pint-sized players have found ways to make an impact. Who could forget the time 5'6" point guard Spud Webb won the NBA Slam Dunk Contest, or the time 5'5" spark plug Early Boykins exploded for 32 points against the Detroit Pistons?
Here are the 10 shortest players in NBA history.
They may have been short on height, but they were long on talent.
10. Charlie Criss
Height: 5'8"
Teams: Atlanta Hawks, San Diego Clippers, Milwaukee Bucks
Years Active: 1978-1985
Criss shined for two seasons in the old Eastern Basketball Association before signing with the Hawks and earning the distinction as the NBA’s shortest active player. The 5’8” guard then spent eight seasons in the league, and averaged greater than 10 points per game in two of them.
Please allow @DWilkins21 to set the record straight regarding Charlie Criss' height... 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/Cz11ZkSUNT
— Bally Sports: Hawks (@HawksOnBally) December 16, 2017
9. Monte Towe
Height: 5'7"
Team: Denver Nuggets
Years Active: 1976-1977
Towe won a national championship at NC State and was a third round draft pick the following year with the Nuggets, who were then an ABA franchise (they joined the NBA the following year).
Towe then spent more than 30 years as a coach within the college and professional ranks.
8. Wat Misaka
Height: 5'7"
Team: New York Knicks
Years Active: 1948
Misaka was the first player of Asian descent to suit up for an NBA team. His journey to New York came after he helped lead the Utah Utes to an NCAA championship in 1944. However, he played just three games for the Knicks and was cut due to a logjam of guards on the team’s roster.
Wat Misaka broke basketball’s color barrier — but few know his name #AAPIMonth pic.twitter.com/e5EYUXKwFt
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) May 11, 2018
7. Red Klotz
Height: 5'7"
Team: Baltimore Bullets
Years Active: 1947-1948
Klotz has two unique distinctions. He’s the shortest player ever to play for a team that won a championship, as his Bullets team won the 1948 Basketball Association of America title.
The 5’7” Klotz was also the founder of the Washington Generals, who made a living playing (and losing to) the world-famous Harlem Globetrotters.
6. Keith Jennings
Height: 5'7"
Team: Golden State Warriors
Years Active: 1993-1995
The 5’7” Jennings won the 1991 Frances Pomeroy Naismith Award, which is given annually to the most outstanding senior player under six feet in height. He averaged 18 minutes per game in several seasons with the Warriors, and after his NBA career came to a close, spent close to a decade playing overseas.
Let’s remember Keith Jennings#Warriors Point Guard (1992-1994)
Career highlights
🏀 1️⃣6️⃣4️⃣ games
🏀 6️⃣.6️⃣ PPG
🏀 1️⃣.5️⃣ RPG
🏀 3️⃣.7️⃣ APG
🏀 Played 9️⃣ seasons overseas from 1995-2003#DubNation #NBA #goldenstate pic.twitter.com/Jc4yBAX9v2
— letsremember_someguys (@remember_guys) January 17, 2020
5. Greg Grant
Height: 5'7"
Teams: Phoenix Suns, New York Knicks, Charlotte Hornets, Philadelphia 76ers, Washington Bullets, Denver Nuggets
Years Active: 1990-1996
This is a really cool story.
Grant starred for Division III Trenton State College (now known as The College of New Jersey) after being discovered while playing at a New Jersey playground. He was drafted by the Suns in 1989, and spent nine years in the league. Grant’s post-career activities included a five-year stint as a high school coach in Trenton, where his teams went 100-32.
4. Spud Webb
Height: 5'6"
Teams: Atlanta Hawks, Sacramento Kings, Minnesota Timberwolves, Orlando Magic
Years Active: 1986-1998
Known far and wide as the shortest player ever to participate in an NBA Slam Dunk Content, Webb won that event in 1986. However, his game was sharp enough that he enjoyed a long career in the league. Webb actually led the NBA in free throw shooting percentage during the 1994-95 season, when he shot greater than 93% from the charity stripe.
Never forget when Spud Webb stole the show to win the 1986 Slam Dunk Contest! 💥#TeamDay | @ATLHawks pic.
twitter.com/Sf8HI1DLrG
— NBA TV (@NBATV) August 30, 2019
3. Mel Hirsch
Height: 5'6"
Team: Boston Celtics
Years Active: 1946-1947
Hirsch long held the distinction as the shortest player in NBA history after the 5’6” guard suited up for 13 games during the 1946-47 season. This was far before Boston’s glory days, as the Celtics finished 22-38 and tied for last in their six-team conference.
2. Earl Boykins
Height: 5'5"
Teams: New Jersey Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic, L.A. Clippers, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets, Milwaukee Bucks, Charlotte Bobcats, Washington Wizards, Houston Rockets
Years Active: 1999-2012
It took Boykins some time to stick in the league, but he grew into a very productive player during the 2000’s. He averaged 14.6 points per game during the 2006-07 campaign in which he competed for both the Nuggets and Bucks.
Even in 2009-10 and 2010-11, where he was 33 and 34 years old, he averaged greater than 15 minutes per game.
Earl Boykins: heart over height 🙌🏽 pic.twitter.com/wwUBV3iESf
— SLAM Rewind (@SLAMRewind) November 5, 2019
1. Muggsy Bogues
Height: 5'3"
Teams: Washington Bullets, Charlotte Hornets, Golden State Warriors, Toronto Raptors
Years Active: 1988-2001
Short on size but not on talent, the 5’3” Bogues is the shortest player to ever compete in the NBA. He enjoyed a 14-season professional career after his number was retired at Wake Forest, and he averaged greater than 10 assists per game twice.
Heart Over Height.
S/o to 5'3" Muggsy Bogues! ✊️ pic.twitter.com/WdE8kjyGmD
— Timeless Sports (@timelesssports_) November 21, 2019
Perhaps just as noteworthy, he was one of the NBA stars who acted in the film Space Jam, where aliens sapped Bogues and his fellow players of their skills.
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Are there basketball players of small stature? How tall is the smallest NBA basketball player? • On the topic of the day
Home » On the topic of the day » Are there basketball players of small stature? How tall is the smallest NBA basketball player?
Basketball fans know that for some brilliant players, even small stature was not an obstacle to achieving sports results. Who is he, the smallest NBA basketball player, and what success has this person achieved in his career?
Height of the smallest basketball player
Mugsy Bogues is the smallest basketball player in the NBA, and he has held his title for several decades. The growth of the famous American is only 160 centimeters, which is considered a ridiculous indicator for basketball.
The basketball player began his career at the Washington Bullets club, where he was not expected to have great professional success.
It is noteworthy that in this team Mugsi played with Manute Bol, who is considered one of the tallest basketball players in the world. The difference in height between the two members of the team was more than 70 centimeters.
Despite the fact that no one took him seriously, Mugsy Bogz showed brilliant sports results in the first season of his performances. Due to the great jumping ability and decent speed of movement, Mugsi could score several goals per game.
His career continued until 2001. During this time, the famous basketball player managed to change 4 clubs, and in the mid-90s, Mugsy Bogz was considered one of the most successful athletes in the NBA. Fans also did not remain indifferent to him, because because of his small stature, it was especially interesting to watch the brilliant game of Mags.
More small NBA players
The smallest basketball player who continues his career to this day is Earl Boykins. Earl's height is only 165 centimeters, but this does not prevent him from being one of the most respected athletes in the world of basketball.
During his career, Earl changed 10 clubs, and his fees are still among the highest in basketball.
Another undersized basketball player is Mel Hersh, who played for the Boston Celtics club back in the distant 1947 year. His height was only 168 centimeters, but this did not stop Mel from throwing balls into the basket from above.
Most short players have retired from basketball. In addition to Earl Boykins, the NBA continues to include Nate Robinson, whose height is 175 centimeters. Nate had a brilliant career, was able to grow up to one of the best basketball clubs in the world - to the Chicago Bulls. Small stature did not prevent Robinson from becoming a three-time winner of the top throw competition. Despite the fact that all his colleagues on the court are much taller than him, Robinson feels absolutely confident in the team.
The average height of a basketball player is 180-185 centimeters, but in the entire history of the NBA there were 70 basketball players whose height did not exceed 1.
75 meters. Such data directly indicate that there are no barriers for a truly talented person, and even a small stature for basketball success is not a hindrance.
Basketball is considered one of the most popular sports in the USA, in large part due to the fact that it is a very spectacular and fair game. Interest in this sport is also fueled by undersized basketball players, who prove by their own example that even in the absence of natural data, success can be achieved!
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The shortest basketball players in the world and NBA history - top 10
The shortest basketball player in NBA history is Mugsy Bogues, his height is 160 cm. He was small even compared to the average person, but became one of the best players of his generation .
In some respects, Mugsi surpassed Michael Jordan himself.
Jordan is the most famous basketball player in history
Top 10 most famous basketball players
1. Mugsy Bogues - 160 cm
In 1996, Mugsy starred in the movie Space Jam with Michael Jordan. Photo: nba.com
Date of birth: January 9, 1965
Career years: 1987 - 2001
Weight: 64 kg
Mugsi lived in a poor dysfunctional family. At the age of five, he and his friends broke a bar window - the owner fired a shotgun at the crowd and wounded Bogz in the arm and legs. At the age of 10, the father of the future star was imprisoned for an armed robbery of his house. After that, Mugsy decided to play basketball to get a chance at a new life.
Mugsy started playing for the Dunbar Poets high school basketball team. After two undefeated seasons, they became the best team in the US. Already at the university, Bogz continued to improve and got into the national team for the 1986 World Cup, where he won a gold medal as the lowest player on the team.
Mugsy entered the NBA draft in 1987 at the age of 22. He was number 12 and was named to the Washington Bullets. Then Manute Bol, the tallest basketball player in the history of the NBA, played for the Bullets, so their joint photo went viral in magazines.
Bol is the tallest basketball player in the NBA, but not in history
Top 10 tallest basketball players
Mugsy compared to the giant of his time, Manute Bol. Source: pinterest.com
Over the course of 14 years of his career, Mugsy has become one of the best assistants in the NBA - 6726 assists. According to this indicator, he is ahead of many basketball stars, such as Michael Jordan, Scotty Pippen and Larry Bird. Also, Bogz, despite his height, was good at interceptions - he has 1369 of them.. For his ability to play in the selection, Mugsy was nicknamed the "robber". In total, he has 889 games, 6858 points and as many as 39 block shots.
After retiring as a player, Mugsy published his autobiography In the Land of the Giants and coached the Charlotte Sting women's basketball team, which was still the lowest.
Magzy also has a grandson, Samartin Bogz, who also plays basketball. At the age of 17, his height is 160 centimeters - like his grandfather during his career. Samartin will enter the NBA draft only in 2023.
2. Earl Boykins - 165 cm
Boykins holds the Eastern Michigan University record for the most assists - 624. 61 kg
Boykins played great for high school and university teams - he even got into symbolic teams. However, he was never selected in the draft, so Earl went the other way.
From 1998 to 2003, he signed seven short-term contracts with NBA teams, which allowed him to play in the league without a draft. After a successful performance, Boykins signed a five-year contract with the Denver Nuggets in 2003. A year later, against the Detroit Pistons, Earl made history by scoring 32 points and becoming the lowest player to reach 30 points.
Boykins did not finish his five-year contract - a year before graduation, he moved to the Milwaukee Bucks, and then to the Charlotte Bobcats..jpg)
In 2008, Boykins left for the Italian Virtus for one season, after which he returned to the NBA for another three years. In total, during his career in the league, he scored 5752 points, becoming one of the highest scoring undersized basketball players.
3. Mel Hirsh - 168 cm
Hirsh held the title of the shortest basketball player in NBA history for 40 years. Photo: themodestman.com
Date of birth: July 31, 1921
Years of career: 1946 - 1947
Weight: 75 kg
Little is known about Hirsch - he did not play basketball at the professional level. While studying at the university in 1943, he served in the Air Force as a navigator in the Pacific direction. There he played for the officers' team. After the end of the war, Mel joined the Boston Celtics in 1946 and played 13 games for them, averaging 1.5 points per game.
4. Greg Grant - 170 cm
Greg played in the NBA for five different teams. Photo: twitter.com/redapples
Date of birth: August 29, 1966
Career years: 1989 – 1998
Weight: 64 kg
Grant grew up in a poor, dysfunctional family at the local fish market.
In his free time, he played basketball on the playground near the house. There he was noticed by scouts and invited to Trenton College, from where he entered the NBA draft with the 52nd number.
Greg was selected by the Phoenix Suns in the NBA Draft, where he became the shortest player in team history. There were 19 total in Grant's careerdifferent clubs - he never played for more than a year for one team. After his retirement, Grant became a coach at Trenton College, where he began his career as a professional basketball player.
5. Keith Jennings - 170 cm
In college, Keith averaged 59% of shots. Photo: etsubucs.com
Date of birth: November 2, 1968
Career years: 1991 - 2004
Weight: 73 kg
Jennings, like most basketball players, began playing at university. At this level, he twice became the player of the year in the Southern Conference. Keith was 19th in the NBA draft91, but was not selected by any of the clubs. Because of this, he had to leave for Europe, where he was accepted into the German Brandt Hagen.
A season later, Jennings returned to the United States - he was accepted into the Golden State Warriors, where he became the shortest basketball player and played for three years.
In 1995, Jennings retired from the NBA and returned to Europe. He played in Spain, France, Turkey and even Russia. In 2000, Keith got into the newly founded St. Petersburg Lions, which was created to participate in international matches. However, due to poor results (2 wins in 10 matches), the roster was disbanded.
6. Red Klotz - 170 cm
Red Klotz was the shortest basketball player of his time. Photo: itsyourturnblog.com
Date of birth: October 21, 1920
Career years: 1942 - 1989
Weight: 68 kg
183 cm - the height of the shortest Russian basketball player who played for the ocean
Klotz started playing basketball at the age of 12. His playing career began with SFAS, a Jewish team from Philadelphia. For her, Red played for five years, after which he moved to the Baltimore Bullets for one season, becoming the shortest basketball player in the history of the team.
At 1948, he retired from professional basketball and moved to the Washington Generals, a team that was engaged in staging show matches. Klotz played for the Generals until 1989 - at the time of his departure he was 68 years old.
7. Wataru Misaka - 170 cm
Wataru became the first non-white player in American professional basketball history. Photo: themodestman.com
Date of birth: December 21, 1923
Career years: 1947
Weight: 68 kg
Wataru was born in the USA, but was a nisei - the so-called Japanese born outside of Japan. Due to racism, he could not play with white teenagers, so he created his own baseball and basketball league along with the same nisei.
After the outbreak of war and the attack on Pearl Harbor, Misaka was moved to the eviction zone. There he continued his studies and ended up at the University of Utah, where he became a champion twice.
In 1947, Wataru was drafted by the New York Knicks, becoming the first non-white player in the league.
After playing only three matches, Misaka was expelled from the club. He himself believes that this was due to an excess of defenders in the squad and does not associate this with racism. After retiring, Wataru dropped out of the Harlem Globetrotters and became an electrical engineer in Utah.
8. Monty Tow - 170 cm
After his retirement, Monty was inducted into the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame. Photo: newsobserver.com
Date of birth: September 27, 1953
Career years: 1975 - 1977
Weight: 68 kg
At the university, Monty played both baseball and basketball and even participated in championships. At the professional level, Tau only played two seasons with the Denver Nuggets.
Thau and his partner, David Thompson, are credited with inventing the alley-oop. Basketball used to ban dunking, so players devised a way around the rule: one throws the ball, the other catches it and throws it into the basket mid-flight.
9.
Spud Webb - 170 cm Spud is the shortest basketball player in NBA dunk competition history. Photo: sportscasting.com
Date of birth: July 13, 1963
Career years: 1985 - 1998
Weight: 60 kg
Spud started playing basketball at school. He was not the shortest basketball player, but he could run fast and jump high. In seventh grade, Ebb was told that he was too short to play basketball and that he could not pass the physics exam for two years, which was required to make the school team. Two years later, he nevertheless received an invitation and scored 22 points in the first game. Then his height was only 160 cm, but he managed to perform dunks. In high school, he played on the junior varsity team, where he averaged 100 points, and in college he was a top 19 player.83 years old.
In professional basketball, only one player scored 100 points in a game
Top 10 highest scoring games
Analysts believed that due to his height, Webb would only be able to continue his career with the Harlem Globetrotters, a basketball show group.
However, he was selected by the Detroit Pistons in the fourth round of the draft. The best years of Spad's career were spent with the Sacramento Kings, where he averaged 16 points per game.
In 1986, Webb became the lowest slam dunk winner. His archrival, defending champion Dominic Wilkins, had never seen a dunk from Webb before and underestimated him. Wilkins' coach said that his ward did not cook anything and did not even train before the competition.
10. Charlie Criss - 173 cm
During his career, Charlie was the shortest player in the NBA. Photo: reddit.com
Date of birth: November 6, 1948
Career years: 1975 - 1986
Weight: 75 kg
Criss had few interesting moments in his career. He played for four different teams, and the most successful was the 1977/78 season, in which Charlie scored an average of 11 points per game. After retiring, Criss worked as a golf instructor, commentator, and summer camp basketball coach.
Not rated. Calvin Murphy - 175 cm
Calvin has played 1002 games in the NBA - more than the other lowest basketball players in the history of our rating. Photo: rocketswire.usatoday.com
Date of birth: May 9, 1948
Career years: 1970 - 1983
Weight: 75 kg
basketball jump
Murphy is the most titled, all-star and smallest basketball player in history inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. He played his entire career for the Houston Rockets, where he averaged 17.3 points per game. As part of the Rockets, Murphy was named to the NBA rookie team, participated in the All-Star Game and was included in the symbolic team twice. In the Rockets, he is assigned the 23rd number.
Not rated. Barney Cedran - 163 cm
Date of birth: January 28, 1891
Career years: 1911 - 1938
Weight: 52 kg
there were no professional championships yet. He played basketball at the dawn of its history - from the beginning of the last century until the end of the 30s.
