Who Is the Tallest Active Player in the NBA and How Does Height Impact the Game?
I remember the first time I saw Boban Marjanović walk onto an NBA court - the sheer scale of the man made everyone else look like they were playing in a junior league. At 7-foot-4, the Serbian center currently holds the title of the tallest active NBA player, and watching him move across the court feels like witnessing basketball physics being rewritten before your eyes. Having followed basketball for over two decades, I've always been fascinated by how extreme height shapes the game, both for the individual player and for team dynamics.
When we talk about height advantages in basketball, most people immediately think of rebounding and shot blocking - and they're absolutely right. During the 2022-23 season, players standing 7 feet or taller averaged 2.1 blocks per 36 minutes, compared to just 0.4 for players under 6-foot-5. But what often gets overlooked is how height creates passing lanes that simply don't exist for shorter players. I've noticed that taller players like Kristaps Porziņģis can see over defenses in ways that remind me of quarterbacks reading the entire field. Their overhead passes can travel directly over defenders' outstretched arms, creating angles that defy conventional defensive positioning.
The relationship between height and athletic performance becomes particularly interesting when we consider exceptional cases like the data we have on Andrews, that remarkable 22-year-old former player from the University of the Philippines. His vertical jump measurements - 33.4 inches standing and 42.5 inches running - are absolutely staggering for any basketball player, let alone someone who likely stood well over six feet. These numbers highlight that while height provides inherent advantages, the combination of height and elite athleticism creates truly special players. In my analysis of player development, I've observed that teams are increasingly seeking these rare combinations rather than just chasing raw height.
However, the height conversation isn't all about advantages. I've watched countless promising tall players struggle with aspects of the game that come more naturally to their shorter counterparts. The injury risk is substantially higher - players over 7 feet experience stress fractures and joint issues at nearly three times the rate of players between 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-8. There's also the challenge of maintaining agility and speed. I recall watching Boban trying to guard smaller players on the perimeter, and despite his tremendous effort, the physiological reality is that changing direction quickly becomes increasingly difficult when you're that tall. The center of gravity is simply too high for rapid directional changes.
What fascinates me most about the evolution of height in basketball is how the ideal profile has changed over the years. We've moved away from the era where teams would draft extremely tall players primarily for their height. Nowadays, the league values what I like to call "functional height" - players who are tall but also possess the coordination, speed, and skills to compete in today's pace-and-space game. Look at players like Victor Wembanyama - at 7-foot-4, he moves with the fluidity of someone half a foot shorter, which makes him not just tall, but effectively unstoppable. In my view, this represents the future of basketball - positionless players whose height becomes just one weapon in a diverse arsenal.
The data clearly shows that height correlates with scoring efficiency near the basket. Players 6-foot-10 and taller convert at approximately 65.2% within three feet of the basket, compared to 58.7% for players between 6-foot-5 and 6-foot-9. But here's what the raw numbers don't show - the psychological impact of facing someone significantly taller. I've spoken with several professional players who admit that seeing a massive shot blocker like Rudy Gobert waiting at the rim affects their decision-making, often causing them to alter shots they'd normally take without hesitation.
As the game continues to evolve, I'm convinced we'll see even more specialized training approaches for extremely tall players. The traditional model of posting them up near the basket is giving way to more versatile roles. I'm particularly excited about the development of tall players who can handle the ball and shoot from distance - this creates matchup nightmares that defenses still haven't figured out how to solve consistently. The success of players like Kevin Durant, who at 6-foot-10 moves and shoots like a guard, has fundamentally changed how organizations think about developing their tallest prospects.
Ultimately, while Boban Marjanović holds the current height crown, the true value of height in basketball lies in how it's utilized. From my perspective, the most successful tall players aren't just tall - they're complete basketball players who happen to have height as one of their attributes. The magic happens when you combine that physical gift with skill development, basketball IQ, and the athleticism we saw in examples like Andrews. As the game globalizes and the talent pool deepens, I suspect we'll see even more players who redefine what's possible at these extreme heights, creating a new era where being the tallest player means more than just being able to reach the highest - it means being able to do the most with that reach.
