Basketball has always been the game where height can be the biggest advantage. Throughout the years teams have looked for dominant 7 footers who can control the paint, block shots around the rim and get rebounds on both sides of the ball.
But lately, the NBA has been shifting towards a more skill-based small ball. Did that impact the number of 7 footers in the league and how many 7 footers are in the NBA? This is what this article will help you find out.
Currently, throughout the NBA there are thirty-six NBA players who are 7 feet or taller. On average that’s just above one per team. But in the global population, there are far fewer 7 footers. How many 7 footers are in the world? We do not really know, but we can estimate. It is estimated that in our population that is slowly creeping towards 8 billion, there are close to three thousand 7 footers.
Since they are so rare, most teams can’t resist the temptation of drafting a tall kid, hoping he will develop into an unstoppable force on both ends. If you are living in the States and you are 7 feet tall, you have a one in six chance to play in the NBA. You might wonder who are these giants that dominate the average NBA arena, and which one of them is the tallest. This brings us to our next point of discussion:
Who is currently the tallest player in the NBA?
The 34 year old backup center for the Houston Rockets, Boban Marjanovic is currently the tallest basketball player in the NBA. The Serbian kindhearted giant or walking double-double, stands at an amazing 7 foot 4 inches. Originally undrafted in 2010, Marjanovic is currently playing in his seventh season in the NBA. Cool fact: Marjanovic enjoys acting and made an appearance in John Wick, Chapter 3.
Even if these NBA giants give their teams a great advantage, there are still some teams that do not have a true 7 footer on their team. Here are the tallest players on the teams that do not have 7 footers:
Atlanta Hawks – Clint Capela and Bruno Fernando are both 6′ 10″.
Brooklyn Nets – Ben Simmons, and Nicholas Claxton just barely missing the mark by being 6′ 10″ and 6 feet 11 inches tall.
Denver Nuggets – Nikola Jokic and DeAndre Jordan are both 6′ 11″.
Indiana Pacers – Myles Turner stands at 6′ 11″.
Golden State Warriors– JaMychal Green, Kevon Looney and Patrick Baldwin Jr. all measure up at 6′ 9″.
Miami Heat – Omer Yurtseven, 6′ 11″ and Nikola Jovic stands at 6′ 10″.
San Antonio Spurs – Zach Collins, 6′ 11″
And here is our list of every seven-footer on every team:
Boston Celtics – Luke Kornet is 7 feet 2 inches tall.
Charlotte Hornets – Nick Richards and Mark Williams are 7′ 0″.
Chicago Bulls – Their tallest player is Marko Simonovic standing at 7′ 0″.
Cleveland Cavaliers– Robin Lopez – 7′ 0″
Dallas Mavericks – The Star of many Shaqtin a Fool moments, Javale McGee measures up at 7 feet tall.
Detroit Pistons – James Wiseman, 7′ 0″
Houston Rockets – Boban Marjanovic is 7 feet 4 inches tall and Frank Kaminsky is 7′ 0″.
Los Angeles Clippers – Ivica Zubac, 7′ 0″, Mason Plumlee, 7′ 0″.
Los Angeles Lakers – Mo Bamba is 7′ 0″.
Memphis Grizzlies – Santi Aldama, 7′ 0″
Milwaukee Bucks – Brook Lopez, 7′ 1″, Giannis Antetokounmpo 7′ 0″
Minnesota Timberwolves – Rudy Gobert, 7′ 1″, Karl-Anthony Towns, 7′ 0″
New Orleans Pelicans – Jaxson Hayes, 7′ 0″
New York Knicks – Mitchell Robinson and Isaiah Hartenstein are both 7′ 0″.
OKC Thunder – Aleksej Pokusevski stands at 7′ 0″ and Chet Holmgrem at 7′ 1″
Orlando Magic – Bol Bol stands at 7′ 2″
Philadelphia 76ers – Joel Embiid, 7′ 0″
Phoenix Suns – DeAndre Ayton, 7′ 0″
Portland Trailblazers – Jusuf Nurkic and John Butler Jr are both 7′ 0″. Ibou Badji is 7′ 1″.
Sacramento Kings – Alex Len, 7′ 2″, Domantas Sabonis, 7′ 1″, Neemias Queta, 7′ 0″
Toronto Raptors – Jakob Poeltl, 7’1″, Christian Koloko, 7′ 0″
Utah Jazz – Walker Kessler, 7′ 0″, Lauri Markkanen, 7′ 0″
Washington Wizards– Kristaps Porzingis, 7′ 3″
Notable Free Agent – Hassan Whiteside, 7′ 0″
Now let us look back at some of the greatest 7 foot NBA players ever.
There have been many 7 footers in the history of the NBA who have dominated the league. Here are some of the greatest to ever play the sport.
Kareem Abdul Jabbar
Standing at 7 foot 2, but mobile a big, Jabbar is according to some the third-best player in the history of the league. Six-time champ, 19 times All-Star, and six-time MVP
Shaq O’Neal
One of the most dominant forces to ever grace the NBA floor. Four-time champion 2 times scoring champ and 15-time All-Star
Wilt Chamberlain
The first extraordinary athletic 7-footer who changed and dominated the league. The only player to score100 points in a game.
David Robinson
A great two-way force who managed a rare feat in winning both the scoring title and being the Defensive Player of the Year
Hakeem Olajuwon
One of the most dominant two-way players in league history, probably the best center when it comes to steals and blocks per possession. Won two titles and two Defensive Player of the Year awards.
There is still a large percentage of 7 footers and just under 7 footers in the NBA.
This concludes our inquiry into the question “How many 7 footers are in the NBA?” As you can see, even with the rise of small ball, there is still a large percentage of 7 footers and just under 7 footers in the NBA.
If you combine size with mobility, there is and always will be a place for 7 footers in the league. But unlike times past when they were exclusively a presence around the rim, 7 footers and just under 7 footers today like Lauri Markkanen are sharpshooting 3 point experts, or Nikola Jokic, a playmaking generational center.
Basketball is becoming more and more position-less, but height, especially that of 7 foot or more will always be an advantage and sought after skill in the NBA.
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