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A basketball ball about to fall through the hoop at a court. Author Ildar Sagdejev.

15 Tallest Basketball Players of All Times

Basket ballers will tell you that the game is a physically challenging sport so it’s best to be in as good a condition as possible. To score, one must have the ability to jump higher. Height is therefore an important factor in the game. The taller the player, the better the chance of succeeding at the sport Taller players are frequently regarded to have an edge in a basketball game because their shots travel less distance to the basket and their ability to reach higher into the air gives them a better chance of blocking shots from shorter players. Most of the basketball stars we know have succeeded because of their height.

1. Gheorghe Mure葯an

 Gheorghe Muresan. Author Keith Allison.

Gheorghe Dumitru standing at 7 feet 7 inches (2.31 m), is tied with Manute Bol for the tallest player ever to have played in the NBA. Having started his basketball career at Universitatea Cluj, he flourished in the 90s and also played for the Nets and Wizards. The Romanian former professional basketball player was voted the NBA鈥檚 Most Improved Player in 1995-96 after averaging 14.5 points, 9.6 rebounds, and 2.26 blocks per game while shooting 58.4 percent from the field.

After several successful seasons, he was duped by injuries forcing his game to detoriate and therefore thrashing his chances of becoming the greatest basketball player of all time. But still, he is recognized as the 鈥榯allest person in the NBA 鈥�. He did not just play the game, but also founded the Giant Basketball Academy (GBA) in 2004 based in Ashburn, Virginia. This program is dedicated to teaching the proper fundamentals of basketball to boys and girls of all ages. His love for the game has also seen him be part the Washington Wizards marketing and public relations team, serving as an “ambassador” for the team.

Apart from basketball, Mure葯an is also known as an accomplished actor, playing the title character in 1998 feature film My Giant starring comedian Billy Crystal, amongst other films and comedies. A statute businessman, he has also appeared in commercials for Snickers candy bars, and sports television network ESPN. Most recently, Mure葯an has co-authored two young adult fitness and health books: The Boy’s Fitness Guide and The Girl’s Fitness Guide.

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2. Manute Bol

South Sudan has also produced some of the tallest basketball players in the world. Leading the list is Manute Bol who stands at 7 foot 7 inches. The retired Sudanese-American professional basketball player is also a political activist and was notable for his efforts to promote human rights in his native Sudan and aid for Sudanese refugees. He was also previously tied with Gheorghe Mure葯an as the tallest player in the history of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Playing in the 80s and 90s, the late Bol who died at the age of 47 was considered among the best shot-blockers in the history of the sport and is the only NBA player to retire with more career blocked shots than points scored. As of 2020, he ranked second in NBA history in blocked shots per game and 16th in total blocked shots.

Off the court, Bol established a reputation as a person with great sense of humor. One of his teammates at the time, the legendary Charles Barkley was among the favorites who fell victim to his pranks.

 Bol was also known to be short-tempered and sensitive to the frequent remarks or questions about his extreme height. On one occasion, he reprimanded an elderly woman in an airport for asking him how tall he was. He angrily retorted “I didn’t ask you how fat you are鈥� That was Bol for you.

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3.  Tacko Fall

Tacko Fall. Author Michelle Hillison.

Elhadji Tacko Sereigne Diop Fall cannot miss in this list of the tallest basketball players of all time. Standing at 7 foot 6 inches, he is a Senegalese professional basketball player for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA). He has also played in the NBA with Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers. He plays the center position and was viewed as a great shot blocker who was relatively lacking in lane agility and three-quarter-court sprinting speed.

 4. Slavko Vranes

Slavko Vranes. Author File:Milko Bjelica Lietuvos Rytas. .

Slavko Vrane拧 stands at 7 foot 6 inches making him among the tallest players in the world. He is a Montenegrin former professional basketball player who has also represented the Montenegrin national basketball team in the international competitions.

Vranes played basketball in the early 2000s with one season in the NBA. His career was mostly spent. in the Serbian club FMP 沤eleznik and the Turkish club Efes Pilsen, before playing in his native country in January 2001where he played for Budu膰nost Podgorica.

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5. Shawn Bradley

 Shawn Bradley. Author Dustin Senger / Portfolio Area Support Group Qatar Public Affairs Office.

Shawn Paul Bradley is a German-American former professional basketball player who played center for the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, and Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Nicknamed “the Stormin’ Mormon鈥�. He is one of the tallest players in NBA history at 7 ft 6 in (2.29 m). Over the years, he built a reputation as a brutal blocker. For example, during the 1997-98 season, he finished the year with a team record of 214 blocked shots, his average of 3.3 per game ranked third in the NBA.

After his retirement as a player, Bradley became involved with West Ridge Academy, a coeducational private school for at-risk youths in West Jordan, Utah. Bradley’s role with the school involves some of the functions of a vice principal, counselor, and coach.

He has also tried his hands in elective politics. On March 19, 2010, Bradley filed papers to run as a Republican against incumbent Democratic Representative Tim Cosgrove for the 44th District seat in the Utah House of Representatives. However, On November 2, 2010, Bradley lost the election narrowly to Cosgrove, earning 46.49% of the vote against Cosgrove’s 51.13%.

6. Yao Ming

Yao Ming Interview. Author Jeff.

It is very surprising to see a man from China on this list. Yao Ming is a Chinese basketball executive and former professional player. He played for the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) and the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Yao was selected to start for the Western Conference in the NBA All-Star Game eight times, and was named to the All-NBA Team five times. During his final season, he was the tallest active player in the NBA, at 2.29 m (7 ft 6 in). He retired from professional basketball because of a series of foot and ankle injuries which forced him to miss 250 games in his last six seasons. He later became the 6th President of the Chinese Basketball Association.

As is one of China’s best-known athletes, with sponsorships with several major companies, his rookie year in the NBA was the subject of a documentary film, The Year of the Yao, and he co-wrote, along with NBA analyst Ric Bucher, an autobiography titled Yao: A Life in Two Worlds. Yao’s success in the NBA, and his popularity among fans, made him a symbol of a new China that was both more modern and more confident. He has also been indicted into the Basketball Hall of Fame, alongside Shaquille O’Neal and Allen Iverson.

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7. Chuck Nevitt

Charles Goodrich Nevitt (born June 13, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player, known primarily for his great height. At 7 ft 5 in (2.26 m), was known to control the game beautifully from the center and could also quickly turned from defense into the attack. The then tallest player had a very successful career. In his nine-year career (1983, 1985鈥�1990, 1992, 1993) in the NBA, Nevitt played with the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls, Fulgor Libertas Forl矛 (Italy), and San Antonio Spurs and is the tallest man to ever win an NBA Championship, which he did with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1985.

8. Pavel Podkolzin

Pavel Podkolzin. Author Mavs_bench_March_2005.jpg: David Herrera.

At 7 foot 5 inches, the tallest basketball player from Russia had immense potential to become one of the best, but he could not get enough opportunities combined with his inconsistent performances. He played for Dallas Mavericks in the NBA league but could not establish himself in the league and thus played the NBA only from 2004 to 2006. Later, he played in the Russian Super League for Khimki BC and his previous club Lokomotiv Novosibirsk from 2006-07.

9. Sim Bhullar

Sim Bhullar. Author BeaverBasketball.

A descendant from India, Sim Bhullar became the first Indian player to feature in NBA. His parents immigrated to Canada from the Indian state of Punjab. He made his D-League debut against the Los Angeles D-Fenders, with four points, eight rebounds, and six blocks. He scored his first career triple-double against the D-Fenders on February 22, 2015, with 26 points, 17 rebounds, and 11 blocked shots. He also featured in the Taiwanese League.

 Bhullar helped Canada clinch a bronze in the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship where he averaged 6.0 points and 3.8 rebounds in five games. He then played for Canada in the 2011 FIBA Under-19 World Championship. In six games, he averaged 12.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game.

10. Mark Eaton

He was in a class of his own and spent his entire career (1982鈥�1993) with the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A star with many accolades, he was named an NBA All-Star in 1989, he was twice voted the NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1985, 1989) and was a five-time member of the NBA All-Defensive Team. Though limited offensively, the 7-foot-4-inch (2.24 m) is recognized as one of the best defensive centers in NBA history. He led the league in blocks four times and holds the NBA single-season records for blocks (456) and blocked shots per game average (5.6), as well as career blocked shots per game (3.5).

11. Rik Smits

Rik Smits, nicknamed “the Dunking Dutchman” is a Dutch former professional basketball player who spent his entire career with the Indiana Pacers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He has a height of 2m25, is regarded as one of the most faithful players in the NBA (1988-2000) with Mark Eaton..

After his retirement, he switched to his hobby to collecting and racing vintage motocross motorcycles and has been featured in Yahoo! Sport.

12. Ralph Sampson

At 2,24m, the NBA Rookie of the Year, Sampson averaged 20.7 points and 10.9 rebounds for his first three seasons with the Houston Rockets before injuries began to take their toll. Three knee surgeries later he retired as a four-time NBA All-Star and the NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player (MVP) in 1985.

13. Priest Lauderdale

Standing at 2,24m, Lauderdale played professionally in Bulgaria for Lukoil Academic from 2002 to 2005 and received Bulgarian citizenship. He also played in the CBA (2000-01 for the Fort Wayne Fury), the IBL (2000-01 for the Connecticut Pride),[4] in China, Venezuela, Cyprus, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Spain, England, and the United Arab Emirates. After retirement, he has been serving as a coach at youth camps in Germany.

14. Boban Marjanovic

He has spent a record eight seasons in the NBA. However, he has never played more than 60 games in a single season. His critics say that he cannot compete with other centers in today鈥檚 game due to his lack of speed and agility, much like most other exceptionally tall players.

Standing at 2, 24 m, Boban is presently playing for the Dallas Mavericks, averaging 8.2 points each game. He pulls down 3.9 rebounds each game while averaging 4.7 points per game. Despite his stature, he is a free throw shooting specialist with a percentage of 82%.

15. Peter John Ramos

A talented player, Peter John Ramos is widely recognized as one of the most accomplished basketball players in Southeast Asian countries, Puerto Rican, who stands 2,21 m tall and weighs 134kg. Every time Peter John Ramos steps onto the court during a professional basketball competition in Southeast Asia, fans will always enjoy to see him play.