Home »
Misc »
How tall was the tallest basketball player
How tall was the tallest basketball player
The 14 Tallest Players In NBA History
Basketball is a sport in which one physical attribute towers above all others: height.
If you’re tall, you have a good chance of being pretty decent at the sport. Unfortunately, this is something people are “gifted” with, so it’s not really something you can change.
Some players may not consider this a gift when it gets to the point where you are outrageously tall and it begins to affect your health and daily life. Just imagine not being able to fit in a bed and sleep comfortably. Or drive a car. Or buy a normal pair of shoes. The list goes on.
So while being extremely tall can have its pros, it can also have its cons. Here is a list of some of the tallest players to ever play in the NBA. Number 1 may not be who you think it is.
14 - Ralph Sampson
Height: 7’4
Ralph Sampson is one of the most talented giants on this list. Ralph played for the Houston Rockets alongside Hakeem Olajuwon - making them the true “Twin Towers”.![]()
As a rookie, Ralph averaged 21.0 PPG, 11.1 RPG, 2.4 BPG and played all 82 games. He also helped lead the Rockets to a Finals appearance vs. the Boston Celtics in 1986. After 5 stellar seasons in the league, his career was thwarted by injuries. Despite a short-lasting career, he will go down as one of the greatest 7+ footers to ever play the game.
13 - Rik Smits
Height: 7’4
Rik Smits could be the most underrated Big on this list. Rik Smits had an extremely consistent and efficient career from start to finish. He helped contribute to tons of playoff appearances alongside Reggie Miller in Indiana. He also managed to play 70+ games nearly every season. His career averages were 14.8 PPG, 6.1 RPG, and 1.3 BPG.
Even though he never won the NBA title, Smits contributed to the Indiana Pacers, helping them reach important stages during his 12-year career. Unfortunately, Michael Jordan, the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers prevented him from getting the championship.
12 - Mark Eaton
Height: 7’4
Shot Blocking machine and long-time Utah Jazz Center - Mark Eaton.
Mark spent 11 seasons in Utah and averaged 6.0 PPG, 7.9 RPG, and 3.5 BPG over his career. Mark Eaton was regarded as more of a defensive center than an offensive threat. This guy had a season where he averaged 5.6 BPG and played all 82 games. That is truly incredible. He will go down in history as one of the greatest shot blockers of all time.
11 - Priest Lauderdale
Height: 7’4
Priest Lauderdale had a very short NBA career. At 325 lbs, he was just a little too large to keep up in the NBA. He played only two seasons in the NBA from 1996-98 but then decided to take his talents and height to Bulgaria where he played professionally for a few years.
After that, Lauderdale ended up playing all across the world in the CBA, China, Venezuela, Cyprus, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Spain, England, and the United Arab Emirates. Priest Lauderdale has had a chance to spend lots of time all across the earth and not many people can say that.
10 - Boban Marjanovic
Height: 7’4
Most of you may recognize this name, your friendly neighborhood giant - Boban Marjanovic. Or he can also be known as a Serbian hitman in John Wick 3. I will admit he put up an admirable fight against John Wick, but there’s not much you can do when faced up against a man determined to seek revenge for his dog.
Boban has spent 8 seasons in the NBA, but he’s never cracked over 60 games played. Like most other really tall players, he lacks the speed and agility to match up with other Centers in today’s game.
Boban is currently a Dallas Maverick and plays around 8.2 MPG. He averages 4.7 PPG and 3.9 RPG. One interesting stat about him is he shoots 82% from the free-throw line. That is very rare for a player of this size. You could compare Boban holding a basketball to you holding a softball.
9 - Sim Bhullar
Height: 7’5
Perhaps the largest player on this list - Sim Bhullar. Sim Bhullar is the first player of Indian descent to ever play in an NBA game.
He saw the floor for 16 seconds in his NBA debut. Sim is 7 foot 5 and weighed a whopping 359 lbs back in his playing days.
In 2014-15 Sim Bhullar appeared in only 3 games until the Kings released him. At his size and weight, he was just not able to keep up in the NBA. He ended up playing a few seasons overseas until eventually retiring in 2018.
8 - Tacko Fall
Height: 7’5
Another familiar face and fan-favorite - Tacko Fall.
Tacko Fall has been a joy to watch as he just seems to toy with his opponents on the offensive end. He can practically dunk without jumping, so if he catches the ball in the paint you might as well just move out of the way.
Tacko spent his first two seasons in Boston, but he now resides in Cleveland with at least three other 7 footers. I think Cleveland holds the record for the tallest roster of all time. I couldn’t imagine walking across the Cavaliers in a hotel, but thinking you were transported to a forest for a brief moment.
7 - Pavel Podkolzin
Height: 7’5
Pavel Podkolzin is a Russian native who played in 6 total NBA games between two seasons. Pavel had a disorder known as acromegaly, which is caused by excess growth hormone. It causes your hands and feet to be enlarged and extensive joint pain.
After two seasons spent in the NBA, he returned to Russia where he played in the Russia Super League for Khimki BC.
6 - Chuck Nevitt
Height: 7’5
Chuck Nevitt played 10 seasons in the NBA. At 7’5 he only weighed 216 lbs. Although Chuck didn’t get much playing time, he was a member of the 1985-86 Lakers championship team. He is the tallest player in NBA history to ever win an NBA title.
Nevitt was part of successful teams, including the Chuck Daly-led Detroit Pistons and the Bulls of Michael Jordan (10-day contract). He couldn't collect many minutes on the court, but still won a ring, and that's something nobody will take away from him.
5 - Yao Ming
Height: 7’6
The most skilled and talented big man on this list - Yao Ming.
Yao Ming spent his entire career in Houston and played 8 seasons for them. He eventually had too many injuries and health issues which forced him into retirement. He is without a doubt the best center on this list.
In the 2006-07 season, he averaged 25 PPG, 9.4 RPG, and 2.0 APG. Yao Ming is the tallest player to ever play in an NBA All-Star game and he’s also the tallest player to make it to the hall of fame.
4 - Shawn Bradley
Via Getty Images
Height: 7’6
By the age of 16, just a Junior in High School, young Shawn Bradley had already nearly reached his maximum growth potential and stood at 7’5 feet tall. He was elected to play in the McDonald’s All American game and won MVP. He still holds the record for most block shots in a college game at Utah State (18).
Shawn Bradley had the longest NBA career compared to any of the other giants on this list. He played a total of 14 seasons and 832 games. He had some impressive statistical seasons for the Mavericks in the late 90s in which he averaged around 13.
2 PPG, 8.6 RPG, and 3.6 Blocks Per Game. Shawn Bradley is the first player to ever record a 20/20/10 triple double with blocks off the bench.
3 - Slavko Vranes
Height: 7’6
In contrast to Shawn Bradley, Slavko had the shortest career compared to any of the other players on this list. Slavko played in a single NBA game for a total of 3 minutes.
After his short stint in the NBA, he moved back home to play in Iranian Super League. His playing career lasted from 1997-2018.
2 - Manute Bol
Height: 7’7
Manute Bol was a very entertaining player to watch in his playing days. He stood 7’7 feet tall and weighed 200 lbs. He blocked everything and could even extend his range out to the 3-point line later on his career. He actually had a few seasons where he averaged more blocks than points.
In Bol’s rookie year he averaged 3.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 5.0 BPG. During one of his seasons for the Washington Bullets, Bol played alongside Muggsy Bogues.
Pairing the shortest and tallest player in NBA history.
Manute Bol’s son, Bol Bol, now continues on the family dynasty playing in the NBA for the Denver Nuggets. The Nuggets haven’t given him much of a chance to shine, which is frustrating for fans because he stands alongside Alex Caruso as a league fan-favorite. He is a true unicorn, standing at 7’3 and having the ability to handle the ball and shoot 3s.
1 - Gheorghe Muresan
Height: 7’7
Gheorghe is actually tied with Manute Bol for the tallest player of all-time, but he takes the #1 spot because of his size (315 lbs). Muresan's career was cut short due to injuries and health issues that many of these other incredibly tall players experienced.
In his early career he had a season in which he averaged 14.5 PPG, 9.6 RPG, and 2.3 BPG. After moving on from the NBA, he played in the French league for a while.
In March 2007, Gheorghe played a game for the Maryland Nighthawks. That year, the Nighthawks had formed the tallest lineup in history.
Gheorghe was not the tallest player on the court. His teammate Sun Mingming was - standing at 7’9.
Next
10 NBA Teams Under The Most Pressure This Season: Lakers And Nets Want A Championship, All Eyes Are On Damian Lillard
The Biggest Winning Streaks To Start An NBA Season: Warriors Went 24-0 In 2016, Rockets 15-0 In 1994
Who Will Win The 2021/22 Scoring Title: Kevin Durant Is The Favorite, Ja Morant And Stephen Curry Can Upset Him
Ranking The 10 Best Left-Handed NBA Players This Season
Ranking The Best NBA Players By Age: From Luka And Zion To Durant And LeBron
Who are the tallest NBA players? Full list with height, team, nationality
nba
nba
The NBA is a league of giants.
Even with small ball sweeping the NBA, there is no shortage of big men. According to NBA.com, a total of 29 players who appeared in at least one game during the 2021-22 season measured in at 7 feet or taller.
Tacko Fall topped the list once again at 7-foot-6, making him one of the tallest NBA players of all time.
Boban Marjanovic and Kristaps Porzingis weren't far behind him, each standing at 7-foot-3.
Many of the NBA's tallest players are role players, but the list does include a couple of stars.
Listed at exactly 7 feet, Joel Embiid is a five-time All-Star who finished second in MVP voting in each of the last two seasons. Rudy Gobert, who is an inch taller than Embiid, is one of the most accomplished defenders in NBA history, racking up three Defensive Player of the Year awards.
Two-time MVP Nikola Jokic just missed the cut, as he is listed at 6-foot-11.
Who are the tallest NBA players?
With Tacko Fall playing in the CBA this season, Boban Marjanovic and Kristaps Porzingis are currently the tallest players in the NBA's database at 7-foot-3. There's then a trio of players listed at 7-foot-2.
The Thunder's Aleksej Pokusevski is the lightest 7-footer in the NBA, weighing 190 pounds.
The following list is compiled from NBA.com. It does not yet include the 2022 NBA Draft class.
Tallest players in the NBA | Rank | Player | Height | Team | Country |
| 1. | Boban Marjanovic | 7-3 | Rockets | Serbia |
| | Kristaps Porzingis | 7-3 | Wizards | Latvia |
| 3. | Bol Bol | 7-2 | Magic | Sudan |
| | Luke Kornet | 7-2 | Celtics | USA |
| | Moses Brown | 7-2 | Clippers | USA |
| 5. | Jakob Poeltl | 7-1 | Spurs | Austria |
| | Jay Huff | 7-1 | Lakers | USA |
| | Jon Teske | 7-1 | - | USA |
| | Rudy Gobert | 7-1 | Timberwolves | France |
10. | Aleksej Pokusevski | 7-0 | Thunder | Serbia |
| | Alex Len | 7-0 | Kings | Ukraine |
| | Brook Lopez | 7-0 | Bucks | USA |
| | Dewayne Dedmon | 7-0 | Heat | USA |
| | Frank Kaminsky | 7-0 | Hawks | USA |
| | Goga Bitadze | 7-0 | Pacers | Georgia |
| | Hassan Whiteside | 7-0 | - | USA |
| | Isaiah Hartenstein | 7-0 | Knicks | Germany |
| | Ivica Zubac | 7-0 | Clippers | Croatia |
| | JaVale McGee | 7-0 | Mavericks | USA |
| | Joel Embiid | 7-0 | 76ers | Cameroon |
| | Mitchell Robinson | 7-0 | Knicks | USA |
| | Mo Bamba | 7-0 | Magic | USA |
| | Neemias Queta | 7-0 | Kings | Portugal |
| | Nick Richards | 7-0 | Hornets | Jamaica |
| | Olivier Sarr | 7-0 | - | France |
| | Robin Lopez | 7-0 | Cavaliers | USA |
| | Udoka Azubuike | 7-0 | Jazz | Nigeria |
| | Willie Cauley-Stein | 7-0 | Rockets | USA |
Hassan Whiteside, Jon Teske and Olivier Sarr are currently unsigned.
Fans in the United States can watch the biggest games of the 2022-23 NBA season on Sling TV. Stream Sling Orange or Blue for $35/month, or both for $50/month. Right now, get half off your first month, plus SHOWTIME, STARZ, AND EPIX - first month on us!
SIGN UP FOR SLING: English | Spanish
Tallest players in NBA history
The 7-foot-6 Tacko Fall may set the standard among today's giants but he is not the tallest player in league history. That shared distinction belongs to Manute Bol and Gheorghe Muresan, who were each listed at 7-foot-7.
According to Basketball-Reference.com, there are 13 players in NBA history listed 7-foot-4 or taller.
Tallest players in NBA history | Rank | Player | Height |
|---|
1. | Gheorghe Muresan | 7-7 |
| | Manute Bol | 7-7 |
| 3. | Shawn Bradley | 7-6 |
| | Yao Ming | 7-6 |
| | Tacko Fall | 7-6 |
| 6. | Chuck Nevitt | 7-5 |
| | Sim Bhullar | 7-5 |
| | Pavel Podkolzin | 7-5 |
| | Slavko Vranes | 7-5 |
| 10. | Mark Eaton | 7-4 |
| | Ralph Sampson | 7-4 |
| | Rik Smits | 7-4 |
| | Priest Lauderdale | 7-4 |
Author(s)
Basketball
nba
How tall was the tallest basketball player
Our phone number is 8-800-500-62-63.
Two meters? Two and a half? Three? We made the top of the tallest athletes
We are so used to the fact that basketball players are tall that we even call tall people “basketball players”.
But can you imagine how tall the tallest athlete in the history of this sport was? Two meters? Two ten? Three meters? We have compiled the top 7 tallest basketball players in the history of professional sports in order to finally figure out the numbers.
7th place. Yao Ming
Chinese center Yao Ming is probably the most popular basketball player on the Internet. Everyone saw the famous laughing meme with him.
But besides being very popular, he is also very tall: the athlete's height is 229 centimeters. Thanks to this, he became the tallest player included in the basketball hall of fame, and at the same time one of the most successful and wealthy Chinese athletes.
6th place. Slavko Vranesh
The height of the tallest basketball player in the Balkans is 230 centimeters. Vranesh started his career at the end of 90s, playing for the Serbian Zheleznik. At the beginning of the 2000s, he tried to conquer the NBA, but his career abroad did not work out.
5th place. Suleiman Ali Nashnoush
For a long time, this Libyan athlete of the 60s was considered the tallest basketball player with a height of 245 centimeters, but a little later it turned out that his real height was 230 centimeters, and at the same time the athlete continued to grow. To stop this process, he went through a special drug course.
4th place. Manute Bol
Basketball player of Sudanese origin Manute Bol is known not only for his tall height: 231 centimeters, but also for his unusual thinness: Manute weighed about 100 kilograms, while Yao Ming's weight is 141 kilograms.
3rd place. Gheorghe Muresan
The official height of the Romanian basketball player Gheorghe Muresan is 231 centimeters, but according to other information, his real height is a couple of centimeters higher, which makes him the tallest player in the history of the NBA.
2nd place. Sun Mingming
The Chinese are not the tallest people in the world, which is why it is a little surprising that the tallest active athlete - Sun Mingming - comes from China.
His post is 236 centimeters!
1st place. Alexander Sizonenko
The tallest basketball player Alexander Sizonenko is from Russia. In addition to the "high" basketball title, he was also recognized as the tallest man in the world and is considered the tallest man in Russian history. His height was 245 centimeters.
Growth for Alexander became a huge problem, because the athlete continued to grow until the end of his life. In recent years, he moved only with the help of crutches. The tallest basketball player died in 2012 at the age of 52.
Slamdunk.su
Other articles
Why was Spain stripped of medals at the Paralympics in favor of Russia?
And other strange cases in the history of basketball
"Duck on the Rock"
How children's fun became one of the most popular sports
Sweat and blood
How much do the most successful basketball players earn
Happiness is not in money!
How much are the most expensive sneakers
Choice of winners
7 best basketball shoes
Voice from the past.
When did the first sneakers appear (+ photo)
Basketball tricks
What techniques exist and how they differ
The tallest basketball player, the largest basketball players
If you are lucky with your height, then remember how many times have you heard that you need to go to basketball? Of course, in this sport, high growth only plays into the hands. But who is the tallest of the world famous basketball players?
Tallest basketball players in the NBA
Of course, an athlete with this height will be immediately noticed, and if he also makes great strides in the game, then it is quite possible that he will be invited to the National Basketball Association.
The list of the highest NBA basketball players includes only twenty players. Their height exceeds 220 cm. Two of them entered the Basketball Hall of Fame - Arvydas Sabonis with a height of 221 cm and Ralph Simpson, 224 cm. But let's dwell on the tallest NBA players.
Arvydas Sabonis - one of the tallest basketball players in the NBA
Montenegrin basketball player Slavko Vranesh was born in 1983. He is 230 cm tall and is also one of the tallest basketball players in the world. Throughout his career, Slavko played for Serbia, Turkey, Iran, and spent one season even in UNICS Kazan. In the NBA, this athlete played only one match, and in it his stay on the field was only three minutes.
Now Vranesh plays for the Serbian team Metalac.
The height of the basketball player Slavko Vranesh is 230 cm
The Sudanese basketball player Manute Bol overtook him by one centimeter in height. Unlike most very tall people, Manute did not have pituitary disorders, and owes his height to his parents, whose height was slightly more than 2 meters.
Moreover, this basketball player is also one of the worst players in the NBA. If the weight of his colleagues is much higher than 100 kilograms, then Manute Bol weighs only 95.
Well, the title of the tallest NBA player deserves Gheorghe Muresan from Romania with a height of 232 cm. In addition to his sports career, Gheorghe masters other activities. For example, she acts in films and music videos. You can see the acting talents of this athlete in the comedy "My Giant".
The tallest basketball player in the USSR
But our country has something to be proud of! In 1959, the highest basketball player of the USSR, Alexander Sizonenko, was born. In 1990, his name was included in the Guinness Book of Records, because his height reached 2.39 cm. He set a record as the tallest person not only in the USSR, but throughout the world.
Alexander Sizonenko was the tallest basketball player in the USSR
During his life, Alexander played for Spartak Leningrad, Stroitel Kuibyshev, and was also a candidate for the USSR national team.
His game was distinguished by a very developed positional instinct, he was good at passing passes, but experts believed that due to his height he was not as fast as the game required. At 19In 86, he had to leave the sport due to health problems. Subsequently, he also starred in the film, the Czechoslovak fairy tale "The Brave Little Tailor", where he played the role of a giant.
Alexander Sizonenko continued to grow throughout his life. Problems with the pituitary gland did not recede, although the doctors performed Alexander's brain surgery twice. In the seventies, he was told that Alexander would last a maximum of twenty years. But he lived much longer and passed away on January 5, 2012. By this time, his height was already 245 cm.
Before his death, basketball player Alexander Sizonenko's height was 245 cm.
By the way, the tallest woman playing basketball was also a Soviet athlete, Uliana Semyonova. Her height is 210 cm, and her weight is 127 kilograms.
The merits of Ulyana Semenova can hardly be overestimated, because she repeatedly won the titles of world champions and the USSR, is the owner of numerous cups, and was also awarded the Orders of Lenin, the Red Banner of Labor, Friendship of Peoples and others.
Pavel Podslezin took the first place in height in modern Russia. He is also one of the ten tallest NBA basketball players. His height is 224 cm. Now he plays for various Russian clubs, setting an example of high sports training for young basketball players. The athlete cares about the development of Russian clubs and their achievement of the highest results.
Ulyana Semenova - the tallest female basketball player
The tallest basketball player in history
Well, Suleiman Ali Nashnush was recognized as the tallest basketball player in the history of basketball. The growth of this Libyan athlete was 245 cm. Back in 1962, he played for the Libyan basketball team. But Suleiman was never able to build a good sports career.
Health problems made themselves felt, and he had to go under the surgeon's knife.
Suleiman was also given iron supplements to stop his abnormal growth. The athlete lived only 47 years, having died at 1991 year. But there was another significant event in his life - in 1969 he starred in the film by Federico Fellini himself "Satyricon".
Suleiman Ali Nashnoush - the tallest basketball player in history
As we can see, height is not a guarantee of success in basketball. The most striking example here is the famous basketball player Michael Jordan. His numerous sporting achievements are the merit of being the most jumping basketball player in the world. For this feature, Michael was nicknamed the Air Jordan. By the way, his height for a basketball player is very average, only 198 cm.
The tallest basketball player in the world
Now it's time to find out the name of the tallest basketball player in the world today.
