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Who are the Tallest NBA Players? Looking at the Biggest Current and All-Time Hoopers

(Photo by Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

Published Nov 23, 2023

Are you wondering who the tallest NBA players of all-time are? Let's dive in to it!

There is no denying that the history of the NBA is built on the backs of their big men. When the game was first introduced to the world, people were mystified to see seven-foot tall giants sprinting around the court and dominating the rim. If your favorite team is lucky enough to land a dominant center, it could jump start a championship run that could last for years!

From old school bigs who have made our list of the best NBA centers of all time, like Wilt Chamberlain and Bill Russell, to the more modern human skyscrapers like Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming, NBA fans can't get enough of a great center. Once in a blue moon however, an athlete enters the NBA that towers over the rest.

Here is a look at the past and current tallest NBA players.

Tallest Active Players

1. Boban Marjanović - 7'4"

Years Active: 2015- present
Teams: San Antonio Spurs, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Philadelphia 76ers, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets

There might not be a big-man more beloved in the NBA than the great Boban Marjanović. He first rose to fame for his hilarious tip-toe dunks – he is so tall he can simply just drop the ball into the net.

Another incredible aspect from Boban's lore is his relationship with former teammate Tobias Harris. The two athletes created one of the NBA's favorite bromances and still regularly interact with each other.

2. Victor Wembanyama- 7'4"

Years Active: 2023- present
Teams: San Antonio Spurs

There has been no NBA prospect in history as hyped as the 19-year-old Victor Wembanyama. A center out of France, Wemby took the basketball world by storm with his insane highlight reel. He regularly hits step back threes, makes incredible blocks at the rim, and can bring the ball up the floor. He does this all while being a towering 7'4".

Wembanyama is in his first season in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs, making him the newest entry on our list of tallest NBA players. It will certainly be interesting to see how he lives up to the hype as the season progresses.

3. Kristaps Porzingis - 7'3"

Years Active: 2015- present
Teams: New York Knicks, Dallas Mavericks, Washington Wizards, Boston Celtics

Dubbed the 'Unicorn', when Kristaps Porzingis first entered the league, he was looked at as the next great big-man. He could handle the ball, shoot from outside, defend the paint, and do just about everything in-between.

Injuries and other issues with the front office led Porzingis to work his way out of New York and around the league before finding a home in Washington. However, he was recently traded to the Boston Celtics in a three-team deal that notably sent Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies.

4. Bol Bol - 7'2"

Years Active: 2019- present
Teams: Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns

There is a lot to love about Bol Bol. The former McDonald's All American was destined to be a top pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, but suffered a foot injury in his 2018-2019 college season. Despite missing most of the season, he was the 44th overall pick in the draft by the Miami Heat, and was immediately traded to the Denver Nuggets. Bol is now on a one-year contract with the Phoenix Suns.

5. Moses Brown - 7'2"

Years Active: 2019-Present
Teams: Portland Trailblazers, Oklahoma City Thunder, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets

In the past 4 seasons, Moses Brown has played on teams all over the country. Brown had his first career double-double in 2021, using his long arms to reach for 16 rebounds. A few games later, he had a career high 21 points and 23 rebounds, which is the most rebounds an OKC player has grabbed in Thunder history.

Tallest NBA Players Ever

T-1. Gheorghe Muresan - 7'7"

Years Active: 1993- 2000
Teams: Washington Bullets, New Jersey Nets

No one in league history has towered over their opponents quite like Gheorghe Muresan. He was an anomaly in the NBA, standing at 7'7", he would routinely block shots and score at ease at the rim, leading the NBA in field goal percentage from 1996-1997. He even snagged the Most Improved Player award that same season.

T-1. Manute Bol - 7'7"

Years Active: 1985- 1994
Teams: Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat

In the lore of the NBA, Manute Bol sits on a very high pedestal. The stories from former players and coaches about Bol are second-to-none, and that's because his history is a little uncertain.

When Bol was first brought to the United States to play basketball, he had no official birth certificate. Then Cleveland State coach Kevin Mackey reportedly made up a fake birthday for him, because even Bol didn't know his own age. Some think that he may have been 50-years-old playing in the NBA.

T-3. Tacko Fall - 7'6"

Years Active: 2019- 2022
Teams: Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers

Tacko Fall has been a national icon to sports fans since the Senegal native first stepped foot on a basketball court. While playing at UCF, clips of him blocking shots or throwing down dunks without even jumping would routinely go viral. He helped UCF make a run in the NCAA tournament before eventually falling to Duke.

Fall isn't currently signed to an NBA team but is playing in China for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers.

T-3. Slavko Vraneš - 7'6"

Years Active: 2004
Teams: Portland Trailblazers

If the name Slavko Vraneš doens't ring a bell, that's for good reason. Vraneš is one of the best basketball players to come out of Montenegro and has a trophy case full of championships in various European leagues. However, he had a very short stint in the NBA, playing in a single game for the Portland Trailblazers in 2004. He attempted one shot and was issued a personal foul in his glorious 2 minutes and 45 seconds on an NBA floor.

T-3. Shawn Bradley - 7'6"

Years Active: 1993- 2005
Teams: Philadelphia 76ers, New Jersey Nets, Dallas Mavericks

Shawn Bradley may sit as the fourth tallest retired player in NBA history, but if this list went by impact he surely would rank closer to the top. Bradley was a highly touted basketball prospect in high school, earning the McDonald's All-American game MVP. He led the NCAA in blocks in 1991, and went on to lead the NBA in that same category in 1997.

Bradleys averages for his career were 8.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game.

T-3. Yao Ming - 7'6"

Years Active: 2002-2011
Teams: Houston Rockets

The great Yao Ming captured the hearts of NBA fans when the 7'6" Chinese phenom was drafted first overall in 2002. Ming helped grow the NBA to greater heights and expand its market in China.

Ming has had so many incredible moments on the court and cemented himself as a legend for the Houston Rockets and the NBA. He was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2016 alongside Shaquille O'Neal and Allen Iverson.

T-7. Sim Bhullar - 7'5"

Years Active: 2015
Team: Sacramento Kings

Sim Bhullar is another case of a player who received excess media attention throughout college for his large stature. He didn't have an extensive career in the NBA, but he did have a chance to play with the Sacramento Kings for a season. With his basket against the Utah Jazz, Bhullar became the first person of Indian descent to score in an NBA game.

Bhullar currently plays in the Taiwanese basketball league for the Tainan TSG GhostHawks.