The basketball hoop is 3 meters and 5 centimeters high. Many athletes have to work hard to reach it. For some, however, just a little bit is enough, thanks to their height, and the team's desired results are guaranteed. In this article, we've compiled a list of the top 10 tallest basketball players in history:
1. Alexander Sizonenko, 245 cm
From childhood, Alexander stood out from his peers due to his height, and even underwent several pituitary surgeries to stunt his growth. Nevertheless, he found his calling in basketball, earning the title of tallest player in basketball history. He once set a personal best in a single game, scoring 39 points for his team, including five steals, 15 block shots, and 12 rebounds. However, experts believe that although Alexander was one of the country's best centers, he lacked speed due to his height and weight. In 1986, Sizonenko retired from professional basketball due to a hormonal imbalance. Two years later, he starred as a giant in the film "The Brave Tailor." He holds the title of "Tallest Man" in 1990.
2. Suleiman Ali Nashnun, 240 cm
A Libyan basketball player, born in Tripoli. Like Sizonenko, the Libyan also underwent brain surgery in 1960, but in his case, it was successful. Ali played for the national team in the 1962 World Cup qualifiers. In 1969, he appeared in Fellini's Satyricon.
3. Gheorghe Dumitru Muresan, 231 cm
The Romanian basketball player ranks third on our list. His parents were of average height, and Gheorghe attributes his gigantism to a pituitary gland problem. He began his basketball career playing for his university team, and in 1995, after playing in the NBA, he was named the season's "Most Improved Player." Gheorghe averaged 9.8 points, 1.48 blocks, 0.5 assists, and 6.4 rebounds per game. After moving to the United States, he was assigned number 77, which means he stands at 7 feet 7 inches tall.
4. Manute Bol, 231 cm
A Sudanese basketball player, he stands 231 cm tall and weighs over 100 kg. Notably, Bol is a descendant of the Dinka tribe, a tribe known for its tall people, and his father was a chieftain there. Experts believe that despite his relatively low statistics (3.3 blocks, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.6 points per game), he has made a mark in the history of the NBA, the world's most powerful basketball league. Bol is the only player to have more blocked shots than points (1,599 points and 2,086 blocks). After retiring from basketball, Bol went to Sudan to work for human rights and charitable organizations.
5. Slavko Vranesh, 230 cm
Fifth place goes to the Montenegrin basketball center, who began his career with the Serbian club Želiznjak and continued with Turkish teams Tofaş and Efeş Pilsen. However, due to an inability to adapt, he returned to Europe, specifically with Montenegro's Budućnost. He then played for American, Serbian, Russian, and Iranian clubs. Since 2013, he has played for Serbia's Metalac. Vraneš has also played for the Montenegrin national team.
6. Yao Ming, 229 cm
The Chinese giant, standing at 2.29 meters tall, ranks sixth. At the age of ten, the future basketball player stood 160 cm tall, and his parents were not short either. Yao's father is 2 meters 2 centimeters tall, while his mother is 1.90 meters tall. Both his parents were professional basketball players. Yao began his career with the Shanghai Sharks and competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. He carried the Chinese flag twice, playing in Athens and Beijing. He says this was his childhood dream. Yao is one of the richest people in China, with many companies eager to partner with him. In 2017, he was named president of the Chinese Basketball Association. A year earlier, Yao was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. In 2009, Yao bought the club where he began his career to help him overcome financial difficulties and rise through the ranks. He currently commentates basketball games. Interestingly, his wife, Ye Li, played for the Chinese women's national basketball team in 2017. Yao's smiling face also inspired a popular internet meme depicting mockery.
7. Pavel Podkolozin, 226 cm
In seventh place is Pavel Podkolyozin, standing at 2 meters, 26 centimeters. As a center, he began his career with Sibirtelecom-Lokomotiv. Two years later, Podkolyozin transferred to the Italian club Varese, and then played for American clubs until 2006. However, he returned to Russia that same year, where he continued his professional career. Pavel currently plays for BC Sakhalin. He also played for the Russian junior national team, won the 2014/2015 Russian Cup, was the 2014/2015 Super League champion, and was a 2016/2017 Russian Cup finalist.
8. Mark Eaton, 224 cm
A master of defense, as they say. This basketball player, who plays for the Utah Jazz, holds NBA records for career blocked shots (3.5) and season blocked shots (5.6). Early in his career, basketball clubs didn't pay much attention to Eaton, as he rarely played on the court during his university days. However, the Utah Jazz coach invited the young basketball player to the club, quoting his decision with a Red Auerbach quote: "You can't learn to be tall." Eaton has two Defensive Player of the Year awards (1985, 1989), an NBA All-Star Game participant (1989), and other achievements.
9. Rik Smits, 224 cm
Ninth place goes to a Dutch-born basketball player, standing 224 centimeters tall. Smits plays center for the NBA's Indiana Pacers. He began playing for PSV Eindhoven at the age of 14. After the 1988 season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team. His most productive season was 1994-95, when he averaged 18.5 points per game. Smits is rightfully considered the most successful Dutch basketball player in the history of the Netherlands, as well as the highest-paid, having earned $125 million during his career.
10. Arvydas Sabonis, 222 cm
Rounding out the list is a Soviet-born player of Lithuanian descent who achieved Olympic, World, and European champion status as a member of the USSR national team. He was awarded the title of Honored Master of Sports of the USSR and considered one of the most powerful centers in the world in the 1980s and 1990s. In 2010, he was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame. He has received numerous professional and national awards.