Why are basketball players so tall? How do NBA basketball players reach such large heights such as 7 feet tall and more? In addition to learning how to jump higher, there are some tricks to get taller as well.
Height obviously matters when it comes to playing basketball. Tall people are usually more efficient, they can reach the basket easily, allowing for more points per game, as well as rebounds and blocked shots.
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Scouts usually search for tall young talents that have potential to become great basketball players. It is as a rule when it comes to this matter. Many would love to play basketball professionally, but there are just a few real talents. And proper height can certainly help. You can find different details and information on many exercises, supplements, and nutrition that can help you with this.
Learn the secrets to grow tall like NBA players!
If you watch NBA regularly, you certainly notice that many players are above 6″6. Some of them are naturally tall. Their parents were tall, and the genetics did its job. But some others are performing different exercise or taking various basketball supplements to grow more.
Basketball Exercises to Grow Taller
Stretching exercises are usually an efficient way to increase your height. However, those who perform them have to be patient and persistent. The results will not come overnight, and you have to give maximum if you want maximal results. Professional basketball players are performing some of those exercises on a regular basis.
Swimming is also a great thing because it is a natural way of stretching. It forces you to move the entire body. Your hands must go ahead, and you have to stretch your legs as well. In fact, swimming is an excellent exercise for every part of the body, so you should perform it as often as possible if you want to increase your height.
Some yoga positions, such as Cobra are also very good for the purpose. You have to lay down on your chest and toes in a horizontal position while touching the floor with forehead gently. Then you have to place your hands next to the chest while moving your elbow up at the same time. Now push the floor with your hands pulling the chest and shoulders up. Stay ten seconds in that position and repeat it after that. You should continue doing this exercise occasionally, but it is best to use it in combination with other similar movements.
There are a list of other yoga positions that might be helpful for increasing height, and this is just an example of what you should do if you want to grow taller. Stretching on rods and hanging exercises are also good for the purpose. You can do it every day if you have enough free time because it cannot make side effects. However, it is important to warm up muscles before start stretching on rods. If you do not do that, the injuries are possible.
Basketball Players Height Secrets
Professional basketball players train a lot, sometimes 6-7 hours per day. The physical activity itself helps them to support muscles, and it might lead to further growth after early age. If you play basketball every day, you jump to the basket all the time stretching your body that way. Some people have increased their height, thanks to this sports game. But it is not enough if you want maximal results.
Professional players train in a gym a lot, and it also helps them to increase the level of testosterone in their bodies, which might help them to grow more. However, one of the most hidden basketball players height secrets is that they often consume various supplements, and nutrition.
Human Growth Hormone or just HGH is a quite popular product among those who want to grow fast. Many believe a large number of NBA players have been taking it continuously in secret. The product supports growth hormone cells leading to the height boost. It offers many benefits when it comes to this matter, but it can also leave many side effects with an ability to seriously jeopardize your overall health condition. In fact, HGH is a version of the steroid, and they are not recommended for use.
Professional basketball players have a great financial interest though. The salaries are exceptionally high, and they take a risk with an intention to play more efficiently and earn even more. However, there are other supplements and nutrition programs that might help with this. They are maybe not so efficient as steroids, but they still work more or less, and people use them.
Are Basketball Players Naturally Tall?
Genetic predispositions play an important role, of course. The majority of players are indeed naturally tall, but they also work on themselves, train regularly, perform various exercises and often take different ingredients to support the growth, muscles, and overall health. Playing a professional basketball is a demanding task that requires a full commitment. So they have to involve all those things if they want to achieve success.
However, there are some players that are not tall at all. If you watch basketball games regularly, you have certainly notice that. They are a minority but are very skilled with a ball and efficient while playing. But tall people are usually better under the basket because they can reach it easily making more points enabling their basketball teams to win. That is why scouts often choose them instead of short people. Their teams get more benefits with them becoming more efficient.
Furthermore, many scientific researchers work on that question, and they currently understand just 23% of the genes of the height. It means the scientists do not understand all the factors involved in making people tall and short. However, they will probably discover more in the coming years, so humanity will get a precise answer to the question.
How Do Basketball Players Grow so Tall
They are often tall naturally thanks to the genes. But they also take different supplements and ingredients which help them to increase the height. Professional basketball players train a lot performing various exercises including those for a fast growth. These are common reasons why they are taller than other people. Though he was already tall in high school, LeBron James’ supplements and nutrition program is well known for helping him stay strong, healthy, and in shape, in addition of course to exercise and strength training.
They combine good genes, various exercises and ingredients to become significantly taller than an ordinary human being. Female basketball players are also taller than women who are not involved in this sport. The reasons are the same for them too.
Tallest NBA Players in History and Today
The tallest NBA player in a history was Gheorghe Muresan from Romania. He was 7.7″ tall and played for Washington Bullets from 1993 to 1997 and for New Jersey Nets from 1998 to 2000. Manute Bol stands at the second place on this list. He was 7.65″ tall and played for Washington Bullets, Golden State Warriors, Philadelphia, and Miami Heat. His NBA career started in 1985 and finished in 1994. He came to the United States from Sudan. Shawn Bradley is taking the third place on this list. He played for Philadelphia, New Jersey Nets, and Dallas Mavericks during his NBA career.
Many believe Yao Ming is the tallest basketball player ever, but that statement is not correct. He takes the fourth place on the list and was 7.6″ tall. Obviously, Yao Ming was an exceptionally tall basketball player, but he was not the tallest one in the history. Chuck Nevitt from the US was 7.5″ and he stands at fifth position on the list of the tallest NBA players in history. He played for Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Detroit Pistons, Chicago Bulls, and San Antonio Spurs. He began playing in 1982 and ended up in 1993.
However, when basketball players are so tall, one has to wonder about this: some very tall players are still active in NBA. One of them is Boban Marjanovic from Serbia. He is 7.3″ tall and is currently considered as the tallest basketball player in the league. Marjanovic is a member of San Antonio Spurs right now. Tibor Pleiss from Germany is also 7.3″ and takes the second place on the official list of the tallest active NBA players. He currently plays for Utah Jazz.
Kristaps Porzingis is a third with a height of 7.3″ too. He is a basketball player from Latvia and member of New York Knicks. As you can see, the height of currently active players is quite the same one to another, and there are only some minor differences.
Future Tall NBA Players? Who Is 7’6 Olivier Rioux? 7’4 Zach Edey? 7’7 Robert Bobroczkyi?
We have seen the 7’5 Tacko Fall bounce around NBA benches the past few years but now he is playing abroad. However, there is a new giant in town, and he is 7’6 Olivier Rioux, born in Canada and headed to IMG Academy.
Olivier was 5’2 in kindergarten. His dad Jean-Francois is 6’8, and his mom (Anne) is 62.
Another big man prospect is Zachary Edey (born May 14, 2002) – he is a promising Canadian college basketball player for the Purdue Boilermakers of the Big Ten Conference. Listed at 7 feet 4 inches (2.24 metres), he is the tallest player in Big Ten history!!
There was another tall guy named Robert Bobroczkyi who listed as 7’7, but he was just too thin and not quick or strong enough to stay on the floor, and never seemed to generate enough buzz for the NBA.
Why Are NBA Basketball Players so Tall?
They combine their genetic potential with various exercise they perform every day. Those two things enable their growth. Many of them take various supplements and ingredients as well.
Human Growth Hormone is rumored to be popular among professional basketball players around the world, but of course steroids are forbidden, so no one knows for sure the extent or if at all. Steroids can harm your health, and you will put your organism at risk. Natural ways are the best ones definitely. If you protect your health, your body will have higher chances to grow.
How Tall Do You Have to Be to Be in the NBA?
Let’s start with the average NBA player height, which is 6’7. In fact, let’s take a look at each position height, since these aspects can directly affect how tall an athlete has to be in order to succeed in the NBA:
Average NBA Position Measurements:
| Position | Height (w/ out shoes) | Height (w/ shoes) | Wingspan | Total Standing reach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point Guard | 6′ 1.1″ | 6′ 2.1″ | 6′ 5.0″ | 8′ 1.2″ |
| Shooting Guard | 6′ 4.2″ | 6′ 5.4″ | 6′ 8.2″ | 8′ 5.1″ |
| Small Forward | 6′ 6.5″ | 6′ 7.8″ | 6′ 11.1″ | 8′ 8.8″ |
| Power Forward | 6′ 7.7″ | 6′ 9.0″ | 7′ 1.0″ | 8′ 11.0″ |
| Center | 6′ 9.7″ | 6′ 11.0″ | 7′ 2.8″ | 9′ 1.2″ |
Obviously if you are a back to the basket big man who played the center position your whole life (summer camp, high school, college), but if you are just 6’7 then you likely won’t make it in the NBA at that height, since NBA big men are generally 6’10 and higher. As for the guard position, well, technically there is no real minimum, since we know that 5’3 Mugsey Bogues succeeded in the NBA, however he was a rare breed.
Even a recent successful NBA player such as Nate Robinson ended up flaming out of the league by age 30, and he was listed generously at 5’9. Generally speaking, if you are below 6 feet tall, then NBA scouts won’t like your height as a good fit to be an NBA player. And of course, the shorter you are, the stronger and more explosive you have to be in getting to the rim and of course dishing passes, playing defense, and knocking down open shots. Otherwise, being below 6 feet tall means you probably won’t make it in the NBA. Read more here about how to become an NBA player.
What Foods and Vitamins Can Make You Tall?
The most important vitamins are those essential ones. They support a normal activity of your body protecting overall health at the same time. Those vitamins are even necessary and if you have an appropriate quantity in your body, then your organism has significantly higher chances to function normally.
You should use B1, B2, C, and D vitamin on a regular basis if you want to see the improvement in your height. There is no guarantee that this tactic can succeed, but your body will definitely have higher chances to grow more if you take them regularly. Also, calcium is important for bones. They become stronger if they are adequately supplied with it. So you should use calcium on a regular basis as well.
Food that is rich with proteins is also a great thing when it comes to this matter. They are good for your muscles and support their growth. You should not expect a miracle because genetic and your physical activity plays a key role. But your body cannot work if it is not supplied with necessary supplements and quality food. So you have to pay attention to that factor too.
Conclusion: Basketball, Height, and More
Genetics play the most important role when it comes to height, but scientists have not discovered yet how those genes work. The analyzes are going to continue, and the expert will find out everything about them. The continuous research will help scientists to discover how to increase the height of short people in a natural way. They will probably need more time for this, but it will be a great discovery when they finish. Then, all will be able to become tall as basketball players.
Besides, there are some rumors that militaries of particular countries already experimenting with genes, and they most likely know more on this matter. All of the researches are performed in secret laboratories and they do not want to reveal results yet. The entire project is regarded as a top state secret, but if they have managed to achieve some success in this field, then ordinary scientists have higher chances to make a breakthrough in this field too.
It is a great thing to be tall if you are a basketball player, but excessive height has some disadvantages too. Tall kids are usually unhappy because of their excessive height. If you have been the tallest person in your grade, then you know the feeling. Tall drivers have to have a bigger car if they want to come in easily, and such vehicle costs more.
A tall person needs a bigger and longer bad, otherwise, their legs will come out. They can have a problem with the back too. Tall people more often feel pain in that area. There are some other disadvantages too, but those are the most common.
Professional basketball players usually earn a lot, and their height makes them a fortune. That is why many follow this example. Hopefully, this article helped you to find out why basketball players are so tall. And if you want to reach a similar height, you should follow the steps above.
