Tallest NBA Basketball Players of All Time

Basketball is the sport which more or less requires height. While for other sports it might not be a necessity, height is definitely an advantage in basketball. Taking into consideration that the basketball rim is universally placed at around 10 feet or 3 meters tall, it’s easy to see why basketball players worldwide are usually quite tall – not easy to reach the hoop if you’re short!

But, have you ever wondered who the tallest basketball player of all time is? Which other players come right after in this category? Who do or did they play for? Through this article today, we will present the top 7 tallest basketball players of all time and fun facts about them.

1. Gheorghe Mureșan

First up, we’ve got Gheorghe Mureșan. He’s a basketball player from Romania who holds the joint title of the tallest basketball player of all time (until now) in the history of the NBA. He was born on the 14th of February 1971 in Romania and his height is at an astonishing 7 feet and 7 inches or 2.31 meters. Yes, that’s tall.

Mureșan played in the NBA league from 1993 to 2000. He was part of the Washington Bullets/Wizards team for most of his career. During that time, Gheorghe earned an incredible 8 million dollars, but his time on the court was cut short because of multiple injuries – which was a real shame for him and his fans. Now, the former professional basketball player is 53 years old.

2. Manute Bol

Manute Bol was another professional basketball player, and he shares first place with Mureșan on the tallest basketball player list. He had the same height of 7 feet 7 inches or 2.31 meters. Manute Bol was born on the 16th of October 1962 and died on the 19th of June 2010. He was born in Turalei, South Sudan.

Manute Bol played for several teams in the NBA, including the Washington Bullets and the Golden State Warriors. He was well-known for his defensive skills, which were in no small part thanks to his height. In most matches, the opponents knew that due to his height and skills, his shot-blocking prowess would definitely be on display!

3. Yao Ming

Yao Ming is ranked third in this list, with only about 2 centimeters less than Bol and Mureșan. His height is 2 meters and 29 centimeters. Ming was born on the 12th of September 1980 in Shanghai, China.

He only played for the Houston Rockets during his entire career. During this time, due to his spectacular performance, he was rewarded eight times with the NBA All-Star award – not a bad record! Ming was a well-known basketball player worldwide and he was particularly credited for his contribution to globalizing the NBA in China, which is his home country.

4. Shawn Bradley

Shawn Bradley comes fourth on this list; however, he shares the same height as Yao Ming at 7 feet 6 inches or 2 meters and 29 centimeters tall. Bradley is a German-American former professional football player who was born on the 22nd of March 1972 in Landstuhl, Germany.

When was he at his peak? During the 1990s and up until the 2000s. Throughout this time, he played for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Dallas Mavericks. Critics gave different reviews during his career, some of which were not positive, but his height was definitely distinctive and he was undoubtedly memorable!

5. Chuck Nevitt

Another famous basketball player who is known for his height is Chuck Nevitt. Nevitt is 7 feet and 5 inches or 2 meters and 26 centimeters tall. He was born on the 13th of June 1959 in Colorado, US, which makes him 65 years old today.

Nevitt played in the NBA for over a decade – but who for? Well, several teams, but most of his time went to the Houston Rockets and the Los Angeles Lakers. Although his playing time was often limited during the ten-year period, he is definitely a memorable NBA figure who a lot of people remember even now that he’s retired.

6. Pavel Podkolzin

Pavel Podkolzin shares the same height as Nevitt: 7 feet and 5 inches or 2 meters and 26 centimeters. He was born on the 15th of January 1985 in Novosibirsk, Russia. Podkolzin played for the NBA and the NBA Development League for some time.

In the NBA, he played for the Dallas Mavericks, but his time there was quite short. He was active for two years in total, from 2004 to 2006. Even so, his height and performance definitely made an impression.

7. Sim Bhullar

Next up, Sim Bhullar! He’s also the same height as the previous basketball players, at 7 feet and 5 inches or 2 meters and 26 centimeters tall – it seems to be a common height – for basketball players, at least!. However, he is younger than both of them. Bhullar was born on December 2nd, 1992 in Toronto, Canada.

Bhullar is of Indian ancestry, and was the first Indian to ever play in the NBA. He played briefly for Sacramento Kings, while in 2023, he re-signed the contract with Tainan TSG Ghost Hawks, where he still plays to this day.

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