Tallest and shortest NBA players ever

Standing at a gargantuan seven-feet-seven inches tall, Gheorghe Muresan is the tallest player ever to step on to an NBA court. The Romanian center played six seasons in the NBA for the Bullets and Nets, with his best season coming in 1996 with Washington when he averaged 14.5 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game.

Despite being a mere five-feet-three inches tall, Muggsy Bogues managed to play 14 years in the NBA. The shortest player in league history, Bogues’ best years came with the Charlotte Hornets in the 1990s when he was their staring point guard. The diminutive point guard averaged double-digit point totals three times in his career.

The second tallest player in NBA history, Manute Bol was nearly seven-feet-seven inches tall. Born in South Sudan, Bol played nine full seasons in the NBA and was loved by fans wherever he went. Sadly, Bol died in 2010 of kidney failure.

Largely a journeyman point guard, Earl Boykins was still able to play more than a dozen years in the NBA. The five-foot-five Boykins had his best season in 2007 with Nuggets, when he averaged over 15 points per game for Denver.

He may have only played one game in the NBA with the Trail Blazers in 2004, but Slavko Vranes is technically the third tallest player in league history, measuring out at seven-feet-six and one half inches. Born in Montenegro, Vranes' NBA career lasted all of three minutes.

While he only played 13 NBA games for the Boston Celtics, Mel Hirsch cracks the list of shortest players ever, measuring five-feet-six.

Although he is remembered by most basketball fans for constantly being posterized, Shawn Bradley was actually a pretty darn good center. The seven-foot-six Bradley played 12 seasons in the NBA for the Nets, 76ers and Mavericks, and finished his career with the 16th most blocks in league history.

He may not have left a lasting mark in the NBA, but five-foot-seven point guard Greg Grant did manage to play six seasons in professional basketball’s top league. Grant played for the 76ers, Suns, Knicks, Hornets, Bullets and Nuggets before leaving the NBA in 1996.

The first overall pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, former Houston Rockets center Yao Ming is the tallest NBA player ever to play in an All-Star Game and be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Yao, who was seven-foot-six, played his entire eight-year career with the Rockets and averaged 19.0 points and 9.2 rebounds a night during his playing days.

In three seasons for the Golden State Warriors, five-foot-seven Keith Jennings was able average 6.6 points per game. Jennings left the NBA in 1995 to go play overseas in Europe.

The first player of Indian decent to play in the NBA, former Kings center Sim Bhullar is one of the NBA’s tallest ever. The seven-foot-five-inch big man only has played three games in the NBA but may get another shot one day as he currently plays in the NBA Developmental League.

Best known for forming the Harlem Globetrotters’ whipping boys, the Washington Generals, Herm “Red” Klotz played point guard in 11 games for the Baltimore Bullets. The five-feet-seven Klotz averaged just 1.4 points and 0.6 assists in those 11 games.

Seven-foot-five Chuck Nevitt is the tallest man ever to win an NBA championship, as he was part of the 1985 Los Angeles Lakers' title-winning team. Nevitt was largely a journeyman center through his career, playing for six different teams in nine seasons.

Little-known Wataru Misaka was actually the first non-white player and first player of Asian descent to play in the top professional league. At five-feet-seven, Misaka was drafted in 1947 by the Knicks and played in just three games, scoring seven career points

Another seven-foot-five center, Pavel Podkolzin appeared in six games for the Mavericks from 2004 to 2006. He scored a grand total of four points in his NBA career.

The shortest player ever to play in the ABA, Monte Towe also played one season in the NBA for the Nuggets in the mid-1970s. The five-foot-seven Towe went into coaching after he retired as a player and is currently an assistant at Middle Tennessee State.

Being seven-foot-four was an undeniable advantage on the court for Mark Eaton. The former Jazz center owns the NBA record for most shots blocked per game in a season during the 1984-85 campaign at 5.6 a night. Eaton played 11 seasons in the NBA and sits in fourth place all time in total blocks.

The shortest winner of the Slam Dunk Contest at five-foot-seven, Spud Webb had a remarkable career in the NBA. Webb, who played his most memorable years for the Hawks and Kings, was a fan favorite and gave hope to shorter basketball players that they might have a chance one day to play in the NBA. Webb’s best season came in 1992 with the Kings, when he averaged 16.0 points and 7.1 assists a night.

Born in Holland, former Indiana Pacers center Rik Smits topped out at seven-feet-four-inches tall. The second overall pick of the 1988 NBA Draft, Smits spent 12 seasons in Indiana, averaging 14.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game for his career.

Despite being just five-foot-eight, Charlie Criss could always provide points off the bench during his time in the NBA. Criss, who played for the Hawks, Clippers and Bucks, averaged 8.5 points per game in eight NBA seasons.

The first pick in the 1983 NBA Draft by the Rockets, seven-foot-four Ralph Sampson was expected to be a dominant center. Although he never lived up to his pre-draft hype, Sampson had an excellent career in the NBA, being selected to four All-Star teams.

Playing for the Providence Steamrollers when the NBA was known as the BAA, five-foot-eight Dino Martin averaged 9.1 points per game in two seasons.

Seven-foot-four big man Priest Lauderdale played two seasons in the NBA with Atlanta Hawks and Denver Nuggets. In those two season, Lauderdale averaged just 3.4 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.

At five-foot-eight, Willie Somerset played one season in the NBA with the Baltimore Bullets, scoring 5.6 points per game in five games. He also played two seasons in the ABA.

A fan favorite during his rookie season in San Antonio, Spurs center Boban Marjanovic is also one of the NBA's tallest ever. The seven-foot-three-and-a-half-inch Serbian signed with the Detroit Pistons in the offseason, where he is expected to back up Andre Drummond.

A five-foot-nine point guard, Howie Carl played one season for the Chicago Packers. He averaged 5.5 points and 1.8 assists.

Topping out at seven-feet-three-and-a-half-inches tall, Peter John Ramos spent just one season in the NBA for the Wizards in 2005. Originally from Puerto Rico, Ramos now plays pro basketball in his home country.

Playing for the Toronto Huskies and Boston Celtics, Charlie Hoefer averaged 5.6 points a game over two seasons at just five-foot-nine.

Standing seven-feet-three-inches, Randy Breuer played 11 seasons in the NBA for the Bucks, Timberwolves, Hawks and Kings. He averaged 6.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.1 blocks per game for his career.

Standing at five-foot-nine, Lionel Malamed played just one season in the top basketball league, averaging 5.9 points and 1.4 assists in 44 games.

At seven-foot-three, Keith Closs provided a big presence inside for the Los Angeles Clippers. Over three seasons, he averaged 3.9 points, 2.9 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game in just 12.7 minutes per game from 1997-2000.

Playing for the Pittsburgh Ironmen in the 1946-47 season, five-foot-nine Ed Melvin averaged 4.9 points per game, his lone professional season.

Another seven-foot-three center, Swede Halbrook averaged 5.5 points and 6.6 rebounds per game over two NBA seasons, playing for the Syracuse Nationals.

At five-feet-nine-inches tall, former Rocket point guard Calvin Murphy is the shortest NBA player to be inducted to the Hall of Fame, as well as appear in at least one All-Star Game. Murphy played 13 seasons for the Rockets and retired in 1983 with an average of 17.9 points scored per game.

Yet anther seven-foot-three center, Zydrunas Ilgauskas had a very productive 13-year NBA career. Playing for the Cleveland Cavaliers for a dozen seasons before a final year with the Miami Heat, Ilgauskas was an All-Star twice, averaging 13 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks a game for his career.

Angelo Musi was the point guard for the Philadelphia Warriors from 1946-1949, averaging 8.4 points per game over three seasons. The five-foot-nine guard also averaged nearly an assist per game.

Selected 12th overall in the 1999 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors, Aleksandar Radojevic played just three games for Toronto before heading back to Europe. The seven-foot-three big man did play one more season with the Utah Jazz, appearing in 12 more NBA games.

A five-foot-nine point guard, Ralph O'Brien played just two seasons in the NBA, averaging 7.1 points, 1.6 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game.

By the time Lithuanian great Arvydas Sabonis came to the NBA, he was well past his prime, but the seven-foot-three center average 12 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.1 blocks per game in seven seasons in for the Portland Trail Blazers, making the Hall of Fame. He’s also considered one of the most skilled and greatest-passing bigs ever.

The only three-time winner of the Slam Dunk Contest, five-foot-nine Nate Robinson has played in the NBA for the past 11 seasons. Robinson had his best year in the NBA in 2009, when he averaged 17.2 points a night for the Knicks. The point guard is now set to play his first season with Hapoel Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball Premier League

Selected in the second round by the Portland Trail Blazers, seven-foot-three Ha Seung-Jin played just 46 games over two seasons from 2004-2006.

Five-foot-nine Gene Rock played just 11 games for the Chicago Stags in the NBA's precursor league, the BAA.

Taken second overall by the Memphis Grizzlies in teh 2009 NBA Draft, seven-foot-three center Hasheem Thabeet has been a disappointment in the NBA. He’s averaged just 2.2 points and 2.7 rebounds per game in four seasons, last appearing in the NBA in the 2013-14 season with the Thunder.

The only Japanese-born player ever to play in the NBA, Yuta Tabuse is also one of pro basketballs shortest players standing at just five-foot-nine. Tabuse appeared in four games for the Phoenix Suns in 2005, before spending the rest of his career in the United States in the NBA Developmental League.

Taken with the first pick in the second round in 2010 by the Nets, Tibor Pleiss made his NBA debut last season with the Utah Jazz. He played just 12 games, averaging two points per game.

Despite being only five-foot-nine, point guard Isaiah Thomas established himself both as the best player on the Boston Celtics and an All-Star last season. Thomas, who averaged a career-high 22.2 points per game last season, was the final pick of the 2011 NBA Draft.

Taken fourth overall by the New York Knicks in the 2015 NBA Draft, Kristaps Porzingins impressed in his rookie year. The seven-foot-three Latvian averaged 14.3 points, 7.3 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game, looking like a potential future star.