Being tall could give you an edge as a basketball player in the NBA. It gives you the advantage at the rim, and some players use those physical attributes to perfection. Hence, we look at the list of the Top 10 tallest players in the history of the NBA.
Many players dominated the game with their height, while some just earned the spotlight with their enormous aura. This list shows players who took our breath away with their massive height and presence on the court.
The list goes in descending order of the tallest players in NBA history.
The Top 10 Tallest Players in NBA History: Towers of the NBA
- Gheorghe Mureșan – 7’7″
Tied for the tallest players in the NBA, Gheorghe Mureșan stood at 7’7″, cutting a massive figure on the court. He played for the Washington Bullets for four seasons and later moved to the New Jersey Nets. Although he had a slow start to his NBA career, he quickly turned it around in his third season.
The giant of a basketball player, who weighed 303 lbs, won the NBA Most Improved Player award in 1996, showcasing his talents on the court. He averaged 14.5 points, grabbed 9.6 boards, and played a crucial role in the defense with 2.4 blocks per game.
Although his career was cut short, he remains an icon in the league.
- Manute Bol – 7’7″
The father of Bol Bol, Manute Bol, had a lanky 7’7″ frame, which he used perfectly to play interior defense. He arrived at the Washington Bullets, like Mureșan, and dominated the game on the defensive side.
If a player gets to the rim and Bol stands right before you, you don’t have a chance in his prime. In his first-ever season in the NBA, he averaged an astonishing 5.0 blocks per game. During his time with the Bullets, he played with the shortest player in the history of the NBA, Muggsy Bogues. They had a height difference of 28 inches!
Bol swatted away 2086 balls in his career—an underrated enforcer in the league. The most remarkable stat is when he had 15 blocks in a single game in the NBA. Bol did it twice to put things into perspective. He’s a true legend of the NBA.
- Shawn Bradley – 7’6″
For 12 years, Shawn Bradley became one of the critical role players in the NBA. Especially from 1995 to 98, Bradley’s influence on the Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, and the Dallas Mavericks etched his name into the history books.
Standing 7’6″, he led the NBA in blocks during the 1997 season and appeared in Michael Jordan’s famous movie, Space Jam. He managed 4.0 blocks at his peak and became the premier shot blocker in the NBA.
- Tacko Fall – 7’6″
One of the recent players on this list is Tacko Fall. He arrived at the Boston Celtics in 2019 and played three seasons in the NBA. Although he does not play in the NBA right now, he remains one of the highlights of the NBA for his height.
He plays for the BNZ Breakers in New Zealand after struggling with injuries and weak performances. Many fans remember him when Aaron Gordon dunked over him during the NBA Dunk Contest.
- Yao Ming – 7’6″
Perhaps the most influential player on the list, Yao Ming created a legacy to remember and is one of the best centers in the league’s history. The gentle giant’s gigantic frame helped the Houston Rockets in his prime, and he became an 8x NBA All-Star during his glory years.
He played eight seasons in the NBA with the Rockets and put up an incredible season in 2006-07. The Chinese superstar averaged 25.0 points and 9.4 rebounds in a terrific season. He was known for his blocking prowess in his NBA career and had 1.9 blocks in eight years.
Ming entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2016 and became known as the most effective tall man in the league’s history.
- Sim Bhullar – 7’5″
Sim Bhullar, the first player of Indian descent in the NBA, made history during the 2014-15 season. He arrived at the Sacramento Kings and played three games for the franchise. Standing at 7’5″ and possessing a gigantic frame, he had the potential to become a dominant center.
However, his career went on a downward spiral, and he couldn’t make it in the big leagues. Bhullar found some success in Taiwan and became an SBL champion in 2017.
- Chuck Nevitt – 7’5″
Standing 7’5″, Chuck Newitt didn’t make fans jump from their seats in the NBA. He arrived in the league in 1983 and played for the Houston Rockets. The best he’s averaged is 3.8 points per game in his debut season, following which, he became a benchwarmer, getting sporadic minutes.
However, Nevitt was an NBA champion with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1985. It’s safe to say that he did something that many players failed to do.
- Pavel Podkolzin – 7’5″
Pavel Podkolzin, a tall player who played just six games in the NBA, never got his game going. After the Utah Jazz drafted him in 2004, he was instantly traded to the Dallas Mavericks.
Understood to have a brilliant blocking ability and to play solid interior defense, Podkolzin was expected to be picked up early in the Draft. Sadly, the Jazz picked him as a 21st pick in the 2004 NBA draft. He didn’t make it in the big leagues and had to step away.
- Slavko Vraneš – 7’5″
Even though it didn’t work in the NBA, Slavko Vraneš made one appearance in the NBA and warrants his name on this list. He appeared in the 2003 NBA Draft, and the Portland Trail Blazers picked him up in the second round. However, with just one appearance, he left the franchise after not exciting the fans.
But he had a successful time in the ABA, becoming a three-time champion and winning the Euro Cup in 2011.
- Zach Edey – 7’4″
Zach Edey, the tallest active player in the NBA, has loads of potential and could become a crucial player for the Memphis Grizzlies. In his rookie season, he averaged 9.2 points, grabbed 8.3 rebounds, and had 1.3 blocks in the regular season.
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Edey appeared in 66 games in the NBA in his rookie season and is a fan favorite for the Grizzlies. The center looks like he will become one of the key players in the NBA in the distant future.
