Top-31 Tallest NBA Players Of All Time

Tallest NBA Players Of All Time & Shortest

Here’s a definitive list of the tallest NBA players of all time.

In basketball sport, height is one of the greatest assets a player can boast. The height of a player is advantageous in aspects of scoring points, intercepting passes and blocking throws.

In the 2019–20 season alone, 26 NBA players were listed as 7 ft 3 in (i.e., 2.21 m) or taller. This article contains the top-31 tallest National Basketball Association players who have been listed as 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m) or taller. Some of these players are currently active in the league.

The Tallest NBA Players Of All Time

31. Rudy Gobert

  • Height: 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
  • Weight: 258 lb (117 kg)
  • Current Team: Utah Jazz

Gobert is currently a Utah Jazz center with French roots. In recent times, Gobert has been revered as one of the best defensive players in the NBA, winning the NBA defensive player of the year award two times consecutively in 2018 & 2019.

30. Jakob Poeltl

  • Height: 7 ft 1 in (2.16 m)
  • Weight: 245 lb (111 kg)
  • Current Team: San Antonio Spurs
Jakob Poeltl
Jakob Poeltl (Photo: Keith Allison)

The 24-year old San Antonio Spurs’ center was the 9th pick overall in the 2016 NBA draft. He has so far averaged 5.2 points per game and 4.55 rebounds per game through his NBA career.

29. Moses Brown

  • Height: 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)
  • Weight: 245 lb (111 kg)
  • Current Team: Portland Trail Blazers

Brown plays as a center for the Portland Trail Blazers since entering the NBA as a free agent in 2019. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for a year and established himself as a critical player in the basketball team and was listed to the Pac-12 Conference’s all-freshman team. Brown has a big career in front of him with his height advantage at 7 feet, 2 inches, and young age.

28. Bol Bol

  • Height: 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)
  • Weight: 220 lb (100 kg)
  • Current Team: Denver Nuggets

Denver Nuggets’ center Bol Manute Bol is a Sudanese born American who is the son of ex Miami Heat and Golden State Warrior’s star, Manute Bol. Height and skill are both inheritances from his father, who passed away in 2010 at 42 years of age. Bol Bol is just 20 years old at 7 feet, 2 inches, but has shown class and promise in his rookie season. He attended Oregon State University for a year, where he played college basketball for the Ducks.

27. Luke Kornet

  • Height: 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m)
  • Weight: 250 lb (113 kg)
  • Current Team: Chicago Bulls

26. Swede Halbrook

  • Height: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
  • Weight: 235 lb (107 kg)
  • Playing Career: 1956–1962

During his active career in the NBA, Halbrook was the tallest in the league. From 1956-1962, he played for the Syracuse Nationals, now known as the Philadelphia 76ers and the Wichita Vickers, which became defunct in 1980. Swede recorded 5.5 points per game and 6.6 rebounds per game.

25. Tibor Pleiss

  • Height: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
  • Weight: 256 lb (116 kg)
  • Playing Career: 2015–2017

Pleiβ was selected by the New Jersey Nets in the 2010 NBA draft but didn’t feature in the NBA until 2015/2016 with Utah Jazz.

24. Ha Seung-Jin

  • Height: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
  • Weight: 305 lb (138 kg)
  • Playing Career: 2004–2006

The South Korean basketball player became one of the tallest in the NBA when he was drafted by the Port Trail Blazers in 2004.

23. Kristaps Porzingis

  • Height: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
  • Weight: 240 lb (109 kg)
  • Current Team: Dallas Mavericks

Kristaps Porzingis is a 25-year old Latvian player with the Dallas Mavericks. He plays both center and power forward positions.

22. Arvydas Sabonis

  • Height: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
  • Weight: 292 lb (132 kg)
  • Playing Career: 1995–2001, 2002–2003

Arvydas Sabonis is a former Portland Trail Blazers center from Lithuania. He spent about seven seasons in the NBA as a center for the Blazers. However, due to several limitations set by the former Soviet Union, he could not play in the NBA for most of his career.

21. Walter Tavares

  • Height: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
  • Weight: 265 lb (120 kg)

The 7-foot-3-inch player currently features for Real Madrid of the Liga ACB in Spain but came into prominence when he became a 2nd round pick of the 2014 NBA draft. He played for the Atlanta Hawks and Cleveland Cavaliers. He is the only player from Cape Verde to ever play in the NBA.

20. Aleksandar Radojevic

  • Height: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
  • Weight: 250 lb (113 kg)
  • Playing Career: 1999–2000, 2004–2005
Aleksandar Radojevic
Aleksandar Radojevic is a towering 7ft 3 in near the shortest NBA player ever since the history of the league. (CP Photo/Kevin Frayer)

As a 12th overall pick in the 1999 NBA draft, with a height advantage, many expectations were on Radojevic. He hardly featured for Toronto Raptors during his 2-year spell with them due to injuries and inconsistency. However, he returned to Utah Jazz in 2004 before finally leaving the NBA a year later.

19. Keith Closs

  • Height: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
  • Weight: 212 lb (96 kg)
  • Playing Career: 1997–2000

Closs is a 7-foot-3-inch retired American basketball player who played for the Los Angeles Clippers. He was an undrafted signee in the 1997 NBA Draft and played in the center for the Hawks till 2000.

18. Žydrūnas Ilgauskas

  • Height: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
  • Weight: 260 lb (118 kg)
  • Playing Career: 1993–2011
Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Zydrunas Ilgauskas (Photo: Keith Allison)

Zydrunas Ilgauskas is a former Lithuanian-American basketball player featured in the middle of the court for Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat. The Cavaliers will long remember his name as the franchise’s all-time leader in blocks and rebounds. He measured up to 7 ft 3 in a full standing position and is one of the tallest players to grace the NBA’s courts.

17. Hasheem Thabeet

  • Height: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
  • Weight: 290 lb (132 kg)
  • Playing Career: 2009–2014

Thabeet was the 2nd overall draft by the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2009 NBA draft. He played as a center for the Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, Oklahoma City Thunder, and Portland Trail Blazers. Thabeet is the only Tanzanian to ever play in the NBA.

16. Randy Breuer

  • Height: 7 ft 3 in (2.21 m)
  • Weight: 230 lb (104 kg)
  • Playing Career: 1983–1994
Randy Breuer
Photo: Timberwolves

Breuer was a prolific center at the peak of his career, scoring 12 points per game for Milwaukee Bucks in the 1987/88 NBA season. He played for Atlanta Hawks, Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings, and Minnesota Timberwolves.

15. Boban Marjanović

  • Height: 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m)
  • Weight: 290 lb (132 kg)
  • Current Team: Dallas Mavericks

This video of Boban Marjanovic makes other NBA players look ridiculous.

The Serbian 32-year old Dallas Mavericks’ star is the 2nd-tallest active player in the NBA at 7 feet, 4 inches. Boban Marjanović is a tower. He has also played for San Antonio Spurs and Detroit Pistons as a center. Marjanović featured in the 3rd Chapter of the John Wick movie released in 2019.

14. Peter Ramos

  • Height: 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m)
  • Weight: 296 lb (134 kg)
  • Playing Career: 2004–2005

Ramos was the 32nd overall pick by the Washington Wizards in the 2004 NBA draft. He played as a center. However, many people believe that he performed below par, given his towering height and its advantage.

13. Priest Lauderdale

  • Height: 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m)
  • Weight: 325 lb (147 kg)
  • Playing Career: 1996–1998

Priest Lauderdale featured in the NBA as a center for Atlanta Hawks and Denver Nuggets. After his ordeal in the NBA, he starred in Bulgaria and many other countries before his retirement in 2011.

12. Rik Smits

  • Height: 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m)
  • Weight: 250 lb (113 kg)
  • Playing Career: 1988–2000

The “Dunking Dutchman,” as was is nicknamed, Smits created a name for himself in dunking. Throughout his 12-years career in the NBA as a center for the Indiana Pacers, Smits totaled 12,871 points, 5,277 rebounds, and 1,111 blocks.

11. Mark Eaton

  • Height: 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m)
  • Weight: 290 lb (132 kg)
  • Playing Career: 1982–1993

Mark Eaton is one of the best NBA centers of his generation. He featured for Utah Jazz throughout his career in the NBA. He was named to the NBA All-Star Team in 1989 and won 2 Defensive Player of the Year awards. In the 1984–85 season, he set a record for most blocked shots per game in a season, averaging 5.56 bpg.

10. Ralph Sampson

  • Height: 7 ft 4 in (2.24 m)
  • Weight: 235 lb (107 kg)
  • Playing Career: 1983-1995

Ralph Sampson is a Hall of Fame inductee that played professionally as a center in 4 different teams across the NBA. In his debut season, he won the Rookie of the Year award and the All-Star Game MVP in 1985.

9. Sim Bhullar

  • Height: 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m)
  • Weight: 359 lb (163 kg)
  • Playing Career: 2015 

Bhullar is a 7-foot-5-inch tall basketball player who featured for the Sacramento Kings as a center for one year in the NBA. Since departing the NBA in 2015, he had played in Canada, his country of origin, and currently plays at Taiwan for the Yulon Luxgen Dinos.

8. Pavel Podkolzin

  • Height: 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m)
  • Weight: 305 lb (138 kg)
  • Playing Career: 2004–2006

Podkolzin was drafted in 2004 by Utah Jazz and later played for Dallas Mavericks as a center in both teams. Albeit his NBA spell may quickly be disregarded, the Russian is remembered as one of the tallest NBA players ever.

7. Chuck Nevitt

  • Height: 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m)
  • Weight: 250 lb (113 kg)
  • Playing Career: 1983–1994

Charles Goodrich Nevitt widely known as “Chuck” Nevitt is a former American basketball player who featured at the center of the court for Detroit Pistons, Houston Rockets, Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, and San Antonio Spurs through his 9-year lasting career. Nevitt was famous for being the tallest player to win an NBA Championship.

6. Tacko Fall

  • Height: 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m)
  • Weight: 311 lb (141 kg)
  • Current Team: Boston Celtics

At a towering 7 feet 5 inches, Tacko Fall is the tallest active player in the NBA currently. Fall is a Senegalese who now plays for the Boston Celtics as a center. He entered the 2019 NBA draft but was signed as a free agent for the Celtics after going undrafted. His wingspan is 10 feet, 2.5 inches making him one of the tallest living humans on earth.

5. Slavko Vranes

  • Height: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)
  • Weight: 302 lb (137 kg)
  • Playing Career: 2004

Vranes might not have had a memorable career with the Portland Trail Blazers during his time in the NBA, but his height has put him among the records.

4. Shawn Bradley

  • Height: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)
  • Weight: 275 lb (125 kg)
  • Playing Career: 1993–2005

Shawn Bradley is a retired tall German-American basketball player who played for the New Jersey Nets, Philadelphia 76ers, and Dallas Mavericks.

3. Yao Ming

  • Height: 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m)
  • Weight: 310 lb (141 kg)
  • Playing Career: 1997–2011
Gilbert Arenas and Yao Ming
Gilbert Arenas and Yao Ming (Photo: Keith Allison)

Yao Ming is a former basketball player who featured in the NBA for the Houston Rockets. He was the tallest NBA star as of 2011 when he retired from the NBA. Yao Ming also recorded some successes as he was named to the All-NBA Team on five occasions. Ming is also the tallest player ever to be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

2. Manute Bol

  • Height: 7 ft 6.75 in (2.29 m)
  • Weight: 200 lb (91 kg)
  • Playing Career: 1985–1995

Manute Bol is the father of Denver Nuggets’ center Bol Bol. He is the 2nd-tallest NBA star of all time at 7 feet, 6.75 inches. Bol is considered one of the best blockers in the NBA franchise even though his performance was below par in other aspects. He played for Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, and Miami Heat. Notably, Manute Bol played alongside Muggsy Bogues, the all-time shortest NBA player, during his career with the Washington Bullets.

1. Gheorghe Mureșan

  • Height: 7 ft 7.5 in (2.31 m)
  • Weight: 315 lb (143 kg)
  • Playing Career: 1993–2000

The gigantic Romanian professional basketball player is the all-time tallest player in the NBA at 7 feet, 7.5 inches. He played in the center for Washington Wizards and Brooklyn Nets, averaging 9.8 points per game and 6.4 rebounds per game.

The Shortest NBA Player Of All Time

Muggsy Bogues

  • Height: 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m)
  • Weight: 135 lb (61 kg)
  • Playing Career: 1987–2001
Muggsy Bogues and Shawn Bradley
The famous eyes-hurting image of Muggsy Bogues (5 ft 3 in, and Shawn Bradley (7 ft 6 in) with a height difference of a massive 27 inches. (Photo credit: Jeff Mitchell/Reuters via Sports Illustrated)

Muggsy Bogues is famously known as the shortest NBA player ever at just a height of 5 feet, 3 inches. He played as a point guard throughout the 14 seasons he spent in the league, out of which he spent ten seasons playing for the Charlotte Hornets. Bogues also played for the Washington Bullets, Charlotte Hornets, Golden State Warriors, and Toronto Raptors.

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