The 25 greatest NBA players six feet tall or under

Iverson isn't just one of the best players standing six feet tall or less; he's one of the best players, period. He was a monumental force in the late 1990s and 2000s, when he led the league in scoring for four years. He was even the league MVP in 2001, too.

Something Paul and Iverson have in common: They're multi-time All-Stars who never won an NBA title. Paul's career has been stellar nonetheless, though. He's earned 12 All-Star selections and 11 All-NBA honors, and has, in various seasons, led the league in assists and steals per game, including three seasons where he did both.

Archibald wasn't even a first-round pick, but he went on to be one of the best NBA players of the 1970s. In 1973, he led the league in points and assists per game, a feat he remains the only player to have achieved. He was ultimately a six-time All-Star who managed to win a championship with Boston in the '80s.

Hardaway was a major offensive weapon in the 1990s: He had four seasons where he averaged at least 20 points and 9 assists per game. The guard played key roles during his stints with Golden State and Miami, earning his five All-Star selections with those teams. It all worked out in the end as he is now enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

Price was simply one of the best shooters of his era: Aside from consistently high field goal percentages, he led the league in free throw percentage four times. In fact, he shot 90 percent from the line for his career, one of the best career marks ever. For those reasons and more, he was a four-time All-Star, and he earned a first-team All-NBA selection one season, too.

Lowry has had a number of NBA lives, most notably as a six-time All-Star in Toronto in the late 2010s. He managed to age gracefully, too, still contributing to Miami and Philadelphia squads in the 2020s. Through it all, he has remained a clutch offensive player and pesky defender.

The late stage of Thomas' career saw him, unfortunately, hampered by injuries. Before that, though, he was an offensive threat, especially during his time with Boston. In 2017, he averaged 28.9 points per game, which is the highest scoring average ever for a player under six feet tall.

Murphy is a Rockets icon. He spent all 13 years of his Hall of Fame career there, averaging a solid 17.9 points per game. He did all of this standing at just 5'9".

Stoudamire had a hot NBA start, winning Rookie Of The Year in 1996 with 19 points and 9 assists per game. From there, he was sometimes on the verge of being an All-Star thanks to his quickness and crafty scoring. He spent the bulk of his career with the Blazers, giving the franchise consistency at the point guard position during the late '90s and early 2000s.

VanVleet is among the best undrafted players ever. His career in Toronto started humbly, but by his second season, he earned some Sixth Man Of The Year consideration. He gradually evolved into a reliable scorer and playmaker, earning an All-Star nod in the 2021-22 season.

Blaylock is the subject of one of the oddest '90s music trivia facts: Pearl Jam's original band name was Mookie Blaylock. Indeed, his tenacious style of play endeared him to fans. He earned one All-Star appearance in 1994, but was consistently one of the league's best defenders, twice leading the NBA in steals per game.

If you're 5'7", odds are you will never win the Dunk Contest. Well, Webb did it in 1986. He was more than just his hops, though, as he was a capable scorer and playmaker over his 12-year NBA career.

The 2008-09 season was one of the biggest in recent years for the Magic, as they reached the Finals. Nelson helped lead the way there, turning in an All-Star season as the starting point guard. He was rock-solid during his ten years with the franchise, averaging 12 points and 5 assists per game.

Despite standing at 5'11", Lawson had a standout stretch of seasons for the Nuggets. That was especially true from 2013 to 2015, when he averaged 16 points and 9 assists a night over those two seasons. He ultimately had a short prime, but his peak was a memorable one for fans in Denver.

Kemba was one of the more exciting guards of the 2010s, particularly over the five-year stretch where he averaged over 20 points a game every year. He was an All-Star for years and even earned third-team All-NBA recognition in 2019, his final season with the Hornets. Unfortunately, injuries brought his career to a premature end.

Collison was about as consistent as they came in the 2010s. His season-by-season averages are remarkably similar, hovering around his career marks of 12 points, 5 assists, and a steal per game. He was effective from long range, too, leading the league in three-point percentage in 2018.

Muggsy isn't just short for a basketball player, but at a mere 5'3", he's small compared to most everyday people. He's the shortest player in league history, but he was so great that even at his height, he enjoyed a 14-year career. Bogues was impactful, too, averaging a double-double or close to it every season from 1990 to 1995.

Spud Webb isn't the only short dunker: At 5'9", Robinson could not only throw it down, but he did so well enough to win the Dunk Contest three times. Although he bounced around the league, he ultimately had an 11-season career. His 2009 campaign with the Knicks was a highlight, when he averaged 17 points a night and earned some Sixth Man Of The Year consideration.

Barea was a Mavericks favorite in the 2000s and 2010s, in both his first stint and his return following a few years in Minnesota. He proved to be a consistent spark off the bench for a decade, providing quality pick-and-roll offense. The guard was also a key contributor to the Mavs' 2011 title run.

Brooks enjoyed a solid decade-long NBA career, but it was during his first three years when his promise was most obvious. After an unremarkable rookie campaign, he became a bigger contributor in his sophomore year, then leapt to be a 19-a-night scorer in his third season, earning the Most Improved Player award. Injuries, unfortunately, prevented him from enjoying a longer peak.

The modern-day Muggsy Bogues, Boykins, stood at a mere 5'5". He was a key sixth man for the Nuggets in the mid-2000s, providing double-digit scoring off the bench for a handful of seasons. At his peak, he averaged over 14 points a game in a season split between Denver and Milwaukee.

After winning the Naismith Award in college, Ford was drafted at No. 8. His career got off to a rocky start, though, as he missed his sophomore campaign due to injury. After that, the quick guard became a reliable offensive presence, routinely averaging double-digit points and around six assists per game.

Augustin has seen most of the league, as over his 14-year career, he played for 11 different teams. Wherever he went, though, he was a reliable backup guard. In 2014, he was among the league's top bench players, averaging 13 points and 4 assists per game.

Smith has Augustin beat in terms of the different teams played for. In fact, having represented a whopping 13 different franchises (nearly half the league), he has the all-time record. Towards the end of his career, in 2023, he managed to get himself a ring with the Nuggets.

Alvarado quickly left his mark on the NBA, earning a reputation as a pesky and effective defender. He didn't earn the nickname "Grand Theft Alvarado" for nothing. He was undrafted but quickly became a fan-favorite player in New Orleans.