Height and basketball go together like peaches and cream, bangers and mash, Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
It makes sense, the closer you are to the rim, the easier it must be to score right? Not necessarily, but it doesn’t hurt.
With the emergence of 19-year-old French phenom Victor Wembanyama, who stands at over 7’2”, we thought it was a good time to open the history books and have a look back at the tallest NBA players of all time.
So, get ready and try not to strain your neck looking up, here are the top 10 tallest NBA players in history.
Top 10 Tallest NBA Players Of All Time
10. Mark Eaton – 7’4” (2.24m)
Kicking off this list is 80s legend Mark Eaton. The 7’4” icon spent his entire 11-year career at the Jazz, where he was named Defensive Player of the Year on two occasions.
9. Sim Bhullar – 7’5” (2.26m)
Next is Sim Bhullar. Clocking in at 7’5” unfortunately his achievements on the court could not match his height.
While his career at the top level was short-lived, he did become the first player of Indian descent to feature in an NBA game.
8. Pavel Podkolzin – 7’5” (2.26m)
Russian Pavel Podkolzin also measures up to 7’5” and was on the Dallas Mavericks books for two seasons in the mid-2000s.
7. Chuck Nevitt – 7’5” (2.26m)
Journeyman centre Chuck Nevitt enjoyed a nine-year career in the NBA. In that time he turned out for the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls and the San Antonio Spurs.
6. Shawn Bradley – 7’6” (2.29m)
Taking things up a notch to 7’6” is another centre, Shawn Bradley. Affectionately nicknamed “the Stormin’ Mormon”, Bradley put those elongated extremities to good use and even led the league for blocks in 1994.
5. Slavko Vranes – 7’6” (2.29m)
Next is Montenegro international Slavko Vranes. The 7’6” giant only ever managed one game in the NBA, appearing for the Portland Trailblazers in the 2003-04 season.
4. Tacko Fall – 7’6” (2.29m)
On Cleveland's books as recently as 2022, 7’6” Senegalese sensation Tacko Fall comes in at number four.
When you’re that high up, you really don’t want to Fall. Tacko currently plys his trade in China for the Xinjang Flying Tigers.
3. Yao Ming – 7’6” (2.29m)
Easily the most accomplished and recognisable name on this list, is number three - Yao Ming.
Also a 7’6” behemoth, Yao Ming was a legend at the Houston Rockets where he was an eight-time All-Star.
Such was his impact at the Rockets, they retired his number 11 jersey and in 2016 he was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
2. Manute Bol – 7’7” (2.31m)
Not only is Manute Bol the joint-tallest player in NBA history, he is also the only player to retire with more career blocks than points scored.
A certified brick wall, Bol put every inch on his 7’6” frame to good use, leading the league in blocks on two separate occasions.
1. Gheorghe Muresan – 7’7” (2.31m)
The joint-tallest man in NBA history is Romanian Gheorghe Muresan. When your nickname is “the Giant” it’s safe to assume you register pretty high on the old tape measure.
Muresan played for both the Wizards and the Nets in his seven years in the NBA.
Top 10 Tallest Current NBA Players
As you can see from the list below, when French sensation Wembanyama joins the NBA next season, he will be one of the tallest active players in the league.
Check out the current top 10 tallest players in the NBA:
10. Anzejs Pasecniks – 7’1” (2.16m)
9. Meyers Leonard – 7’1” (2.16m)
8. Alex Len – 7’1” (2.16m)
7. Rudy Gobert – 7’1” (2.16m)
6. Jakob Poeltl – 7’1” (2.16m)
5. Moses Brown – 7’2” (2.18m)
4. Bol Bol – 7’2” (2.18m)
3. Luke Kornet – 7’2” (2.18m)
2. Kristaps Porzingis – 7’3” (2.21m)
1. Boban Marjanovic – 7’4” (2.24m)